High school football team in Concord aims high to dispel low expectations
CONCORD -- Friday night football is kicking off on fields across the Bay Area and, this season, one team from the East Bay is determined to shed the title of having the longest losing streak in the state.
The Wolves from Ygnacio Valley High in Concord haven't won a game since Oct. 2019.
"It's definitely tough because it's always hanging over our head in every game and, at school, everybody talks about it but I just use it as a way to work harder," said senior Frederick Fine.
Fine is the Wolves starting quarterback. He's been looking for his first win for four years but, as his coach tells him "Losing does not feel well but within losing there are some successes."
Coach Rae Jackson is the architect of the Ygnacio Valley football program. In his third season he says he's seen significant improvement in the team but he's proudest of how the young men are growing up off the field.
"Through the discipline of football I teach life skills," Coach Rae explained. "Be accountable, be on time, be responsible. Persevere, learn how to communicate, carry yourself in a proper way."
Coach Rae and his staff teach life lessons by being a role model and by offering a different type of football program.
"One parent said 'Why do you have them for four hours?' I said 'Well, we have study hall, we have what we call a chalk talk to discuss the game planning,'" he said. "Then we have weight room and then we have football practice. So, for four hours, you know that your son is safe and sound doing something positive at school with us."
The results of their hard work can be seen in these ambitious and eloquent players.
"Stuff that I've learned, I use off the field all the time," Fine said. "Like being a leader and being able to step up anywhere in any aspect of life I learn here on the football field with Coach Rae and his coaching staff."
The players said there is one phrase that Coach Rae uses to define what it means to be a part of this team.
"Loyalty over everything," Fine said. "That's what he always says. That's what let me here at this school because I've thought about that all the time. Loyalty over everything. I always want to stick through it and I never want to give up."
"Loyalty over everything," Dalton Gates added. "He's been my coach since I've been in 6th grade for basketball and so I played football for him and he's always said 'loyalty over everything.'"
While the struggles continue on the field, these players are always working to make each other better and hoping that will translate to a win this season.
"Winning has never been a prime focus but the fact of just getting a win with people that I call my brothers and people that I call my family, it could mean more than I could say," Fine said. "It would mean everything."