A team can be defined as a “group of players”, but football head coach, Nick Keefer, describes the Hempfield Spartans as a “family”, a family who always puts one another above themselves. Keefer shares that the key factor to their family dynamic is sacrifice. Whether those sacrifices be in the weight room, on the field, or in the locker room, he states that “selflessness is what makes us feel like family”.
Coming off of three statement wins that have sent a jolt of energy through the stands and sidelines alike, Keefer has high standards and expectations for the rest of the season. “A big win is great, but it only means something if we use it as a stepping stone to keep improving each week,” Keefer says.
Coach Keefer has notoriously been known as a ‘Girl Dad’, and he brings his parenting to the football field to build their family dynamic. The coaches alongside Keefer aid in making sure they are known for their father figure attributes. Trust goes a long way within a team, and the football coaching staff does a great job to create just that. Keefer explains how “the players know we care about them as people first, not just athletes. When a player feels that genuine support, he’s more likely to buy into the team and push himself to be his best”.
To many of the players, football is the place that they’ve made lifelong friends and grew closer through every obstacle. Captain Dom Detruf states that the team has “all been best friends growing up and all talk all the time, even outside of football”. With such strong bonds being built off the field, that familiarity translates to the way they play every Friday Night.
Captain Brayden Gerst adds that “every year [to this point], we’ve come short of the outcomes we want, and all the guys realize that this is our last opportunity to win and make a playoff run together as a team”. Each of the four captains agree on their tight knit friendships being a main way that they stay such a family and achieve the goals they strive for.
Every team goes through a season where they embrace the highs and battle the lows, and this team is no exception. When an individual player experiences something unexpected, the whole team and coaching staff comes together as a family. “Our players do a great job lifting each other up—whether we’re celebrating a win or fighting through adversity, they know they’re never alone”.
“Football mirrors life,” Keefer says, sharing that the way you respond to setbacks, is the way you’re defined. He hopes to make an impact on the players long term, aside from just football saying, “Wins and losses will fade, but the lessons they learn—how to face challenges, support others, and lead—will stay with them for life”.
Keefer describes his team/family by saying that “ We compete hard, we love each other, and we’re proud to represent Hempfield together”. As the season rolls on, one thing is clear—the Spartans are playing for more than just the scoreboard; they’re playing for each other.
