FRIDAYNIGHT LIGHTS

STORY BY JULIUS COLUMBUS

In his first year as head coach Josh Niblett led our football team to a 14-1 season with a state runner-up finish This year, we expect 1 more win and a State Championship 1-0 is the goal every week and will carry us to 15-0 at the end of the season We work to be 1% better every day and focus on the little things that all add up to the big things Coach Niblett says to be “ALL IN” and “IN THE MOMENT ” Inspiring the team with a new mantra each week motivates the players to stay locked in on the singular goal of the season and that’s to win a State Championship

Players like Darius Cannon and Jeremiah Telander who are now playing at the next level at University of Kentucky and University of Tennessee respectively, left their mark on the program last year and now seniors Baxter Wright, Champ Thompson, Gavin Hall and Sky Niblett are leading the team and making their mark on what is sure to be another memorable season.

Things that give our program a unique edge include our coaching staff and technology. Strength and Conditioning Coaches like Taylor Williams and Nate Mathis offer the players college-level experiences in the weight room allowing our team to move to new heights Hi-tech systems like Perch that collects data on speed and explosiveness in the weight room and Catapult that measures real-time performance on the field in games and practice “With these systems we can analyze how our players are performing in games and optimize their recovery as well,” said Coach Mathis “This really brings a next level opportunity for coaches to guide the athletes to their full potential ”

The Red Elephant football program is truly building a legacy with the middle school team completing an undefeated season and new coaching staff added to focus on our “futures” ensuring that our players are strong for years to come by building the winning mentality into the DNA of our program.

STORIES BY JULIUS COLUMBUS