Varsity Football Defeats Lindbergh Sept. 10

For senior Russell Malone and the rest of his team, Friday football games don’t start at kickoff. Instead, it’s a whole day process. With routine changes, higher stress levels and the need to prepare for the game, football players, especially varsity, take on a mental and physical responsibility. 

“[Game day] involves a lot of physical prep. I drink a good one or two Pedialyte a day for hydration so I’m not cramping on the field. I stretch a lot and get all wrapped up with tape,” Malone said. “Everything takes a good amount of time – [I spend] a lot of time in the training office or in the training room.” 

Players are at school from when class starts to the end of the game, which varies due to start time and overtime but is typically around 9 p.m. But, players don’t get home until after 10 p.m. Since players are at school for so long, head coach Mike Tarpey caters Jimmy John’s for players to eat at around 3 p.m. After eating, they head to walk throughs where they ‘walk through’ their plays, hence the name. Players get their gear on and head to warm ups, where they do cardio and stretching to get ready for the game.

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Mac Huffman

Russell Malone #21, gets ready for the game with his teammates by doing warmups.