What a year to commemorate! This year has been one filled with champions by many teams at FDR High School. A lot of our teams have made it to playoffs or even further. One of the teams that had a particularly memorable performance this year is the FDR Football Team. Not only did the team finish the season with an incredible 8-2 run, but they played in the championship game going against the number one seed in the division. They did a phenomenal job closing up the game with an end result of 22-14. Of course winning isn’t everything. So, what exactly makes the FDR Football Team the Team of the Year?

Well, that is a question that can be answered without difficulty. First off, the team has heart, which was shown from day one. They started off the season going 0-2, but that only brought them closer together. Those two games were the only ones they “allowed” themselves to lose. Yes, allowed. The players talked to each other about the start of their season and the team captains, Monrico Cummings and Tristin Thomas told the rest of their team, “We’ll give them those two games. We don’t need them in order to win it all, we just need to come out on top in the end.” After this pep talk, the crucial 0-2 run turned into an 11-2 record. The FDR Football Team won eleven straight games including the championship!

To be the Team of the Year, the Football Team also demonstrated determination. The coaches didn’t play around when it came to keeping the players in good shape through the year. The determination starts from the summer with HSPD Football (High School Player Development), a train ride to Hell Week, and then to summer camp. All of this with no more than a week break in between. Of course, some fall, but the head coach Paul Klyap did not leave anyone behind. He himself was very determined to keep everyone ready for the season. After the season passed, whether it was great or not, Spring Ball is always just around the corner and practice makes perfect. No matter how strong the Football Team is, they cannot deny the fact that they are just student athletes. Meaning, the players must be a student before an athlete. This is exactly how all the coaches prioritize the team. Players need to be passing their classes, or else participation isn’t an option. Thanks to the coaches, the students are able to go to “study hall,” where those who need help got it.  Although no one on the team was perfect, they all contributed for this reward.

Teamwork was a major play in this achievement. The starting Quarterback, Kaseem Morrison, who faced many injuries throughout the season, still managed to pull everything together in order to benefit the team in the long run. Morrison didn’t do it alone. With the help of the offensive and defensive lines, all of the Running Backs, receivers, and the coaches, this team was able to go to great lengths to achieve what they did. With that being said, the FDR Football Team was simply guaranteed this year’s spot as the Team of the Year. While exhibiting great strength, not just physically but emotionally on and off the field, they are the definition of Champions. On behalf of The New Dealer, congrats Cougars!