After several challenging seasons, the Stevens High School football team is looking to turn things around under new head coach Willie Stephen, who hopes to rebuild the program with a renewed focus on effort, culture, and teamwork. If you’ve ever been to a Stevens football game over these several years you’ve most likely seen struggle during games. But it goes deeper than just the games. It’s what happens at practice and in the film room that matters the most to these players and coaches.
As Coach Stephen takes over the program this year, he has introduced a new team motto saying, “No one will out work us!”
Stevens football program hopes to change its culture and atmosphere. After all the ups and downs, two senior football players show that the team is still thriving through this big change. Players have noticed this culture change. They know that they are now under a good and permanent head coach and coaching staff. Kaleb Kangootui who plays both defensive back and wide receiver says, “Coach is bringing in a great culture”. Kangootui stated that coaches have a great goal to bring a change to culture.
The team faced adversity this season, including a string of injuries that left the roster smaller than usual. Despite that, players say the new motto has helped them stay motivated and focused.
Though their record may not show it you can feel the change in the way they play as they never give up whatever the score may be.
This program has stuck to Coach Stephens’ new motto as they suffer an injury bug.
The roster for Stevens is not the biggest at all, it also might even be the smallest it’s been due to this injury bug. Senior Jack Gunter, an offensive and defensive lineman, shows how this motto is being used. Gunter says, “We’re like really short numbered and I think we all work really dang hard to, you know, execute”. This proves that this motto is up to par with the team. The coaches’ goal of outworking others and winning the small things in games really matters.
Steven’s football sees a bright future with this new encouragement from new head coach Willie Stephen. Through ups and downs, Stevens’ football players strive for greatness through hard work, discipline, and most important teamwork. This team has gone through a lot which will lead to greatness for them in the future. As a school we hope to see some wins from these boys in upcoming seasons.