Junior Jayvon Brown and senior Marcus Spearman working hard together on the field. photo by Rosie Fall
The football team has bonded in many ways over this new season.
A new season has started for the varsity football team! With the loss of their 2026 seniors and the gain of lots of underclassmen, the team is taking on a new approach. Due to the strong leadership of the captains and coaches, the team’s deepening relationship is shown both on and off the field.
A new season comes with difficulties adjusting to a new team; however, the players are more than willing to accommodate. The team is working diligently to better anything they need to work on after every game. For the captains, the leadership is stronger than ever this year, all with the same goal of making the team feel like a family. When asked about the connection of the team, junior King Stevenson, a varsity captain, stated that when the season is over, he wants to make sure the team knows that they “can still have the same bond or relationship off the field.” Stevenson wants to make sure the team’s bond can be seen as a brotherhood that continues even after the season ends, deepening the way the team works together and finishes this season. Stevenson’s role on the team is to keep them energized and happy. He aims to bring joy to the team, even if it’s simply just at practice.
As for varsity captain senior Marcus Spearman, his goal is to be a stronger captain for his team and to lead by example. As a well-respected and recognized player by the coaches, public, and team, his example sets a tone for the team that TJ can see they strive to follow along with game to game. Even with a quieter voice for a captain, as he values actions over words, his actions truly do leave more of an impression than most would say. Although, when Spearman does talk, the team knows it is time to take it seriously. Spearman described himself as a “no nonsense guy.” He believes that “your words should carry value, and when you say stuff it should mean something.” Spearman continues to show out for his team and lead by actions rather than words, getting the team to work as one.
With the family value strong within the team, varsity captain senior Josh White mentioned a system they have called “big brother little brother,” where the upperclassmen get paired with the underclassmen. The upperclassman’s goal is to bond with them as a brother and build that relationship with them, supporting them through the first couple years of being on a new team and overall just being a mentor for them. For example, junior captain for varsity Jayvon Brown is paired with Gabe Villa, a freshman who swings for both JV and varsity games as a freshman; their connection can be seen whenever they are together.
Overall, even though they’ve had a difficult start to the season, the captains and the coaches are working hard to build up the team and continue to give their all to the game and represent their school. The Spartans value the team and the sport as a whole and strive for more.
