Coming off an unpredictable season and the loss of eleven seniors, the Archbishop Mitty Varsity Football team embarked on a new journey led by mostly juniors—who were merely freshmen during their last full season. Even though their last season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, the team has been thoroughly prepared by the expert coaching staff who view the freshman and junior varsity teams as a stepping stone to the most elite group: the varsity team. 

The junior varsity and freshman teams show younger players what, “they will see on Varsity. A belief in the process and building their knowledge and understanding of the game are things the team focuses on… to play games at the varsity level,” said Head Coach Daniel Sullivan, as he continues to look for leaders on the team.

Junior starting cornerback, Steven Anaya, illustrates the change in expectations for football players such as himself. He explains that during “freshman year, we relied on coaches more because we were still new to everything. But now, it’s up to us to be on time and rely on teammates to … hold each other accountable.” 

Focusing less on winning or losing but rather rebuilding their team culture and spirit, Head Coach Sullivan describes how COVID-19 has forced him to think outside of the box to get important team building moments in.