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THE SPIRIT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2013
Football continued from page 1
Lady of Port Richmond, Visitation, St. Laurentius, St. George’s, and other neighborhood Catholic schools. “The team is turning out well,” said Galasso, who helped start St. Anne’s football program back in 2006. “We have good kids. I have 24 players on JV, and 22 have never played football before.” Galasso and his young team are currently battling through a season with its share of ups and downs— the Falcons’ current record stands at no wins, seven losses. However, it’s not about record book at this level—it’s more about sparking a special fire in these boys; a fire that can only be kindled by the hard hitting sport that is football. “Football teaches them responsibility, it teaches them how to come together and play as a team,” said Galasso. “It’s not just one person—we have 11 people out on the field and if one person doesn’t do his job, the play isn’t going to work. You have to work together.” Assistant coach Gene Bryan couldn’t agree more with his head coach when it comes to their young team. “The team looks good, they are young and are having a lot of fun. The bottom line is that we teach the kids and not make it about wins and losses,” said Bryan. “This is something (first time players) have never had, and that’s
Above: Jim Galasso, head coach of St. Anne’s Junior Varsity football team, gives his team a motivational talk just before they take the field. Right: The Falcons’ offense rallies in the endzone to celebrate a touchdown run against St. Matthew’s. /Photos: Max Pulcini a great feeling. And a lot of them are athletes who can play football.” It’s hard to argue that, especially when you see this particular group take the field. On Saturday, Oct. 26, the Falcons had their annual homecoming game at Lighthouse Field against St. Matthew’s. Given the festivities of homecoming, the Falcons’ sideline was adorned with posters celebrating the team’s members and their commitment to the sport and to each other. One poster by Falcons player Eddie Santiago, Jr. affectionately read “My First Football Team” under a team photo. While St. Anne’s would go on to lose that matchup, the boys played with passion and will, never letting up despite the lopsided score. “It feels good to play football and hit,” said 10-year old Matthew Wnek. “It’s fun playing with my team, seeing them hit and learning from them.” While the multifaceted
player from St. Laurentius (Wnek plays kicker, punt returner, cornerback and running back) admitted to some pre-game butterflies, he and his teammates rallied to score a moraleboosting touchdown at the end of the game to spoil St. Matthew’s shutout. More importantly, the Falcons were noticeably having fun on the field. “These kids are getting better each week,” said Galasso. “Like I said, we have 22 kids who haven’t played football before. So that’s what I’m trying to instill into the neighborhood— for kids to get out, to play football. And they’ll get better each year as the kids play and listen to the coaches. You’ll be surprised how much they improve year-to-year at this age.” Father Ed Brady of St. Anne’s Parish is the Falcons’ biggest supporter, often taking time out of his schedule to walk out to football practice and make it to games. Brady, who played football while grow-
ing up, sees the importance that this program has in firing up and motivating the boys, but also the importance such an organization has on a community, especially given the state of Catholic schools today. “With the closing of our school, that hit to the core of many people,” said Brady. “This team is something that has brought us back around. I’m very thankful to all of those who support our program because this is where it begins, and as (the children) grow up, it stays with them for life. And I’m very proud of the coaches this year, they’ve done a great job.” Erasmos Santiago, Sr., father of Eddie, harmo-
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
nizes with Father Brady’s assessment of St. Anne’s coaching staff. “Coach Jim and the rest of the coaches have been awesome,” said Santiago. “I thank God for them because these guys teach these kids the best they can; they are great.” According to Santiago, the teaching goes way beyond X’s and O’s on the gridiron, as he has seen enormous strides in his son’s demeanor since joining the Falcons. “I think that with my son, football has shown him leadership…and he says it all the time, ‘Daddy, I’ll try to be the greatest leader I can be.’ And that’s great for me,” said Santiago. “You
CLUES ACROSS 1. Character (abbr.) 4. Animal companions 8. A country in SE Asia 10. Of Carthage 11. On top of 12. Boater hat 13. Eat rapidly (slang) 15. Paddlers 16. Food consumer 17. Aeronaut 18. Tonto’s Kemosabe 21. Division of geological time 22. Hill (Celtic) 23. Towing boat 24. Clatter 25. Trees of the genus Abies 26. Deprive by deceit 27. Decomposed 34. Nail & hair protein 35. A citizen of Iran 36. Whitish edible root vegetable 37. Actress Winger 38. Lessens in intensity 39. Afrikaans 40. Connected spirals 41. Accordingly 42. Competently 43. Angle (abbr.)
CLUES DOWN 1. Clothes storage
can see a huge difference, especially in school. At first my son was a little shaky in school but now he is more of a leader and the teachers are giving me great compliments.” Looking forward, Galasso is already setting his sights toward the future of this team and his program as a whole. “I would like to make this team a big time thing, you know, like Friday Night Lights,” said Galasso. “I want to make this program something that the kids can say, ‘Yeah, I played for the St. Anne’s Falcons as a kid.’ I would like to make it a top notch program and have our kids be proud to play at St. Anne’s.”•
area 2. “__and her Sisters” 3. Revolve 4. One who makes puns 5. Inspire with love 6. Chronograph 7. Look over quickly 9. French philosopher Georges 10. A peerless example 12. Picture done in oils 14. To and ___ movement 15. Egg cells 17. Macaws 19. Nerve inflammation 20. Energy unit 23. Herbal infusions 24. Female deer 25. Before anything else 26. Cotangent (abbr.) 27. Run off the tracks 28. A small drink of liquor 29. Get free of 30. A sharp narrow mountain ridge 31. Knight’s tunic 32. Infuriate 33. Lines in a drama 34. Skewered meat 36. Ground dwelling rodent
See answers on page 15