Last season was phenomenal for the FDR Football team, both Varsity and Junior Varsity. Junior varsity went undefeated 8-0, while Varsity ended the season with 7 wins and 2 losses. Which was followed by another appearance in the playoffs where FDR, unfortunately, lost in the first round against William E. Grady for a second consecutive year. The team however wouldn’t have gotten this far without the help of some reliable seniors whom have left us this season. The seniors who where behind some of the talent displayed last season were Matthew Newman RB/SS, Ettienne Roosevelt RB/DE, and although not given much credit offensive and defensive linemen such as Taylor Jameson, Tate Andre and Benton Louis. After two consecutive losses during the first round in the PSAL playoffs, no student athlete in FDR Football took off this previous summer, in order to achieve greatness and reach the PSAL championship, everyone was willing to give it their all.

Even before summer came, the spring season was not taken lightly by the FDR Football team. Practicing in the heat is one thing, but with determination, the team was able to incorporate their own time to appear in the HSPD football program for 5 consecutive days from 3 to 8pm on school days. With determination came hard work and hard work wasn’t going to come easily. Before the Cougars started Football officially , many schools and people where construing ideas that the FDR Cougars were going to reach the championships, raising stubbornness around a certain group of players. The Cougars progressed through practice kicking it off with Hell Week, which unlike last year wasn’t as profoundly warm, however, the coaches helped out that scenario with extra workouts, which proved to be efficient from the looks of certain players. Hell Week was no stroll in the park, its exactly what it sounds like “HELL” WEEK. Everyone was beyond astonished that many new faces appeared that haven’t seen the field in a while, but they where big additions to the team. These new faces where as helpful as the returning Varsity players, who without a doubt wanted to get Football camp over with to start the season. One of the hardest things about football season is the trip to Camp Island Lake.  With Junior Varsity going undefeated last year, the coaching staff thought it a good idea bringing brand new freshman to camp.  It was the most freshmen ever to go up to any camp in FDR Football. After day one, everyone had bumps and bruises. No one hated anyone just yet, after all “where all family.”  Camp was composed of many hard practices, but one after another we had to give it our all. The weather was inconsistent and everyone had their own drama, whether it was pain or just wanting to go to sleep.

Scrimmaging teams that are in a division higher then us such,as New Utrecht and New Dorp High school, helped improve are self-esteem, as RB/LB Tristin Thomas proposed,   “if we can bang with these teams imagine what we can do to the teams we are up against.” A few players suffered minor injuries and are able to play later on in the season, but after camp the family that we were,we became even bigger and stronger.

The season however started out with a little punch in the rib. Although pumped with determination and enthusiasm, the Cougars miserably lost to a team that went to the championships last year ,McKee/Staten Island Tech, with a score 22-18. The tragic thing wasn’t the loss, but the lack of effort made from our side. With 11 seconds left to go, the 97 degree weather kicked in and everyone without a doubt gave up. Although the team was up with 11 seconds to go, “we weren’t going to win this game playing like that. “Fix it,” said Head Coach Paul Klyap. However, once again, even with changes being made, FDR had another major tragic experience losing to a Christopher Columbus Campus, whom we had beaten last year.

The next “Champs” started the season 0-2, and all that talk about the championship had to stop as RB/FS Monrico Cummings said, “We have to take this season one game at a time.” With extra determination and our respect on the line, everyone played their all and accomplished the goal that everyone had hoped for- winning their first game against Tilden Education Campus 44 to 6. However, none of that would have been possible without the help of the seniors of the team, which include, RB Tristin Thomas who had a total of 112 rushing yards and a total of 3 touchdowns, RB Jerrell Richards, who with only 2 attempts had 74 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns.  There is also Kaseem Morrison the QB who unfortunately didn’t get one TD during the game, but kept fighting though a minor hip injury receiving 52 rushing yards, and finally Monrico Cummings who had a total of 124 rushing yards and 1 TD. This season has just started for the FDR Cougars, and just cause they received a loss or two, didn’t mean they are going to quit. “We just can’t lose no more,”while maintaining discipline and respect for one another. As RB Tristin Thomas said, “they think I’m the only one on this team, but their wrong, because if I fall down you guys have my back and will finish this game up.” That’s what FDR Football is about.  We wish to continue that attitude for the rest of the season.

“Cougars on 3 Family on 6”