Although the varsity football team experienced a challenging season, spirits are high as athletes and coaches alike begin to plan for next year. Though the team was unable to end the season with a win, the players continued to persevere and focused on improvement during each and every practice.

At the base of any successful team is a strong and unified group of athletes. This season, the football players built up their experience and worked hard to grow their team chemistry in order to improve their results in the future.

“We are lifting all year long and making football a priority,” football head coach and physical education teacher Sean Curry said “We really need to make football something that we care about 12 months out of the year, not just August to the end of the season.”

Although the team dealt with consistent setbacks, players were increasingly determined to progress their skills as the season came to an end. This was Curry’s first year as head coach of Chantilly football, as well as his first year back at Chantilly after teaching in Loudoun County, and he is more ambitious than ever to help the young athletes as they grow in terms of motivation and skill.

What made this year’s team unique is the number of sophomores on the varsity roster. This means that the team had a great deal of potential but less on-field experience than in years past.

“Right now, we have about 10 sophomores that start full time,” Curry said. “We’ve had as many as 13 sophomores starting, so we are very young and are going to continue to build on the foundation we are laying this year.”

Unlike in past years, there were not as many seniors to guide the newer players. However, the younger players were able to gain experience this year and build strong foundations to bring more victories in following seasons.

Throughout the season, members of the Purple Platoon remained enthusiastic and attended every game, cheering for the team in the face of multiple losses.

“We are showing our spirit and supporting them even though they aren’t doing too well,” senior Colin Nguyen said. “They’re trying hard out there, so we really can’t blame them.”

Showing spirit and encouraging the athletes every game is just one way to support them and provide motivation for the team.

“They seem very excited about where we are going to go,” Curry said. “It’s just a matter of getting there.”

Football requires thoughtful planning and foolproof execution, which the varsity team has been striving to achieve.

“To outsiders, it’s probably a disappointment,” sophomore and varsity player Ben Condemi said. “But for the team, we are growing each week, and are getting better and better.”

The young athletes have enhanced their skills through repetition and practice in order to improve on the field for next season and onward.