At Judson High School, football is king.
From late August to November, every Friday is dominated by the buzz of game day. From the pep rallies and game day themes to the games themselves, so much of Judson’s school culture revolves around football.
Due to the extremely competitive nature of the game, the high level of talent on the roster, and the dynasty built by iconic coach D.W. Rutledge, the team has high expectations to win.
All of these factors contribute to an overwhelming amount of pressure on our Rocket football team.
The players themselves seem to be aware of this pressure that’s been placed on them as a team and as individuals. Senior Jaiden Haygood said that he’s prepared for the pressure that comes with playing at a school like Judson.
“It’s been like that for a while. As I’ve grown up I’ve known that would be the result, so I’ve [learned to] handle it well,” Haygood said.
In a sport like football with so much concentration required to be successful, there’s no time to mull over your past mistakes; confidence is vital to success. Senior Brett Valles sheds light on how he builds his confidence up after a loss.
“To make sure I have the confidence despite the week before, I like to prepare and work harder than the previous week,” Valles said.
With the Rockets starting off the season 1-4 they faced a lot of adversity very early into their season. As a coach and motivator for these athletes, it’s important for the spirit of the locker room to stay the same win or loss. In order to do this, Coach Quentin Green likes to put things into perspective for his team.
“I try to always relate the game to life because eventually football ends, so we try to make them understand that bad things are going to happen in your life…but at the same time you have to pick yourself up and find a way to get things done the right way and not lose focus when adversity strikes,” Green said.
There’s always a healthy way to be a fan. While cheering for our Rockets keep in mind the high expectations and humanity of our athletes. Senior running back Nathaniel Stanley says the best way to cheer for our Rockets is to “Just come to the games and support. When we score, scream as loud as you can.”
Judson High School celebrates Homecoming next week; it’s a perfect time to come show your support, pack the stands, and get loud!