As we stand on the cusp of the 2024 football season in Vermont, the air is thick with anticipation and promise. Our team has poured sweat and determination into weight training and conditioning, reaping the rewards of our labor in recent 7v7, OLine, and Strongman competitions. Yet, as we set our sights on both team and individual aspirations, I’m drawn to reflect on a goal that transcends the gridiron—one that speaks to the very essence of what makes this game truly extraordinary.
Football, at its core, is a crucible. It’s a forge where raw potential is hammered into strength, where individual talents are melded into cohesive units, and where the fires of shared adversity temper the bonds of friendship into something unbreakable. If we approach this season with the right mindset, the experiences we share, the lessons we learn, and the friendships we forge have the power to echo far beyond the final whistle of our last game.
I think about my own football journey, where 45 years ago, a group of unpracticed, unpolished, and uncertain young men came together wholly unaware of the profound connections we were about to form. In the cramped confines of a locker room and on the unforgiving expanse of a dusty and sun-baked field, we discovered the true meaning of teamwork. We learned to rely on one another, to put the needs of the many above the desires of the few, and to find strength in our collective identity.
While the varsity squad won the 1979, NJ state championship, our freshman team didn’t win nearly as many games as we had hoped. It’s a fact that still frustrates me given our collective talents, but it’s tempered by an overwhelming sense of pride. When faced with adversity, we didn’t crumble—we stood tall. We recommitted ourselves to improvement, refusing to let defeat define us. We nursed injuries, wrestled with self-doubt, and faced uncertainties that mirrored the challenges we would encounter in the decades to come. Yet through it all, we found joy in our camaraderie and strength in our shared purpose.
Little did I know then that those early days would plant the seeds of friendships that would flourish for over four decades. Today, nearly 45 years later, we still communicate almost daily. The bonds forged in the crucible of that first season and high school career have become a lifeline, a support system that celebrates our triumphs and softens the blows of our setbacks. Our coaches’ words—”we would be stronger together than any could ever be alone”—have transformed from an abstract concept into a living, breathing reality.
Though time and distance have scattered us, we still find ways to reunite, to reminisce about the lessons learned on that dusty field, and to marvel at how they’ve shaped our lives. These enduring connections are a testament to the power of shared experience, shared adversity, and the unifying force of a common goal.
As the 2024 season begins, coinciding with the 45th anniversary of my own first foray onto the gridiron, my deepest wish for this year’s Hilltoppers—and indeed, for every team taking the field this season—is that they discover the same transformative power of football that I experienced. May they find not just athletic prowess, but also life lessons, character growth, and most importantly, the kind of lifelong fellowship and brotherhood that has enriched my life for nearly half a century.
Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!
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