Deatrich Wise offers some great advice to high school seniors looking to continue their football career
FOXBORO -- Summer is a time for some rest and relaxation for high school students. But for those fully committed to a continuing their football career at the college level, there is still a lot of work to be done.
WBZ-TV's Dan Roche caught up with Patriots defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr. after a minicamp session in Foxboro earlier this week, and after chatting about the current team, Rochie turned his attention to the son of his photog, Mike Townsend. Jonah Townsend is heading into his senior year at Toll Gate High School in Warrick, Rhode Island, where he plays on both sides of the line. Townsend hopes to excel the college level as well.
Roche had a simple question for Wise, who was a captain for the Patriots in 2022: What advice do you have for soon-to-be seniors who want to keep improving their game on the field and their leadership skills in the locker room.
Wise's advice is something every high school football player should hear.
"Any kid that is trying to get better going into their senior year, first of all, believe in yourself. The second thing is you should visualize where you want to go. Every day, every night, write your goals down for that day, that week, that month, that year. [Write down] what you want to accomplish and then strive to achieve that," said Wise. "Don't even worry about trying to get big. Keep working out and keep getting strong, but for the most part work on your techniques and your fundamentals.
"To be a better leader and to be a better teammate, it's really to just understand yourself, understand your teammates, and the ball on the field. All of those will come together," Wise continued. "The more you know someone and the more build that chemistry, the more you can improve in those leadership areas."
Bill Belichick is always emphasizing team play over individual glory, and Wise has very clearly bought into that since coming to the Patriots as a fourth-round pick in 2017. He had a career-year as a team captain in 2022, logging 7.5 sacks and 59 tackles for a stout New England defense.
More importantly, Wise continues to grow as a leader, and is always willing to sharing some incredible advice and sage wisdom for those who wish to keep advancing their own game and leadership skills.
Catch Dan Roche's full 1-on-1 with Deatrich Wise on Sunday night's Sports Final on WBZ-TV at 11:35 p.m.!
