Though the South Eugene High School football team is gearing up for the upcoming Homecoming game, the weight of past losses can make it hard to stay cheery. Sometimes it’s difficult to go out on the field and give it your all, but the consensus of the team is that football isn’t about winning or losing; it’s about having fun and building long-lasting friendships. 

“I would say the [Homecoming] game definitely adds a factor for us wanting to win. Personally, I don’t feel a ton of pressure because if we don’t win I won’t feel devastated,” Gavin Bush, a South senior on the varsity team, said. “I wouldn’t say it’s stressful, but it’s serious. You have a job to do. You’re going to be matched up against somebody and you’re going to need to give 100 percent to physically beat them.” 

Bush said that Homecoming doesn’t stress him out, but JV player Dasheil Fortner disagreed.

“There is definitely an extra level of pressure for the [Homecoming] game because you want to make your school proud and give your friends something to cheer about,” Fortner, a sophomore, stated. 

Fortner went on to say that while the pressure is occasionally hard to deal with, it is not too bad because winning is not why he plays football. 

“The guys on the team are your brothers, so you just love to be around them and to work with them,” he said.

Coach Derek Brimmer agreed. 

“I want to make sure kids are playing with good technique and they are working well together and treating football like a family activity, not something where they’re going out to try and only win. Football is much more about togetherness than it is about wins and losses,” Brimmer said. 

As a coach, it can be hard for Brimmer to see the team lose after they’ve been working so hard. 

“It’s one of those things you practice all week, spending your time trying to build toward something—so when you lose, there is obviously a little disappointment, but I think it actually teaches them resilience,” Brimmer said.

Losing a game can be hard, but the football players have found ways to cope.

“Viewing the loss as a problem to fix and not a failure helps me not get down on myself,”  Fortner said. “Just taking some time to relax and refocus is very useful.”

Bush added that “taking our minds off the game is what helps the most, and processing it together.” 

The football team continues to work on technique while still encouraging teamwork and camaraderie. Coaches and players find joy in spending time together regardless of the outcome. The team strives to create a delightful Homecoming game with the support from students and staff.

Article by Ozy Zinke-Haschemeyer