Everyone is aware of the Ledyard Colonels football team. During the fall, on most Friday nights, you can find most students attending the game. While watching the game, you can expect hard hits and those heart-racing moments that keep you on the edge of your seat. Although that is not all there is to football. What is going on behind those helmets? What about pre-game and post-game? What is beyond the Friday night lights for these players on the Ledyard High School football team?

Junior Riccio Hope is a player on the Ledyard Colonels Football Team. Outside of football, his interests all take place outside. These hobbies vary from going on morning walks, exploring different places, and more. With football, before every game, his secret to preparing for it is listening to hype music like rap, hip hop, etc. This helps him push away the nerves. His favorite artists to listen to are Kendrick Lamar, 2Pac, and Kanye West. In the locker room, he will pump himself up along with his teammates, who contribute to his positive mindset going into games. One fact about Hope that might shock most of his teammates, whom he is close with, is that he is related to a famous NFL player. His cousin is Marquise Goodwin who was a decent player and made a notable impact on the 49ers team. One could say that football runs in the blood when it comes to his family.

For that reason, Hope takes football extra seriously and is very passionate about the game. The times he feels the happiest is when winning a game. The game-planning and preparation all week is worth it once he is able to get a glance of the scoreboard with Ledyard achieving the win. It is a good feeling for Hope, not only for the win, but for how much work was put towards it. When asked, Hope states, “When we finally get a win, it feels amazing and now we have to work towards the next game.” This implies how much of a hard worker he is, and how he is always ready for the next challenge. After taking a loss, Hope says there is a clear difference in how he feels. His mindset is set in a place where it is tough to make minor mistakes after practicing all week, as one small mistake can mess up the whole game, which one should be held accountable for. Speaking more on the topic of losing, Hope mentions, “I honestly go over what I messed up, what I can improve, and use the motivation in the next game and come back even better than before.” This shows how his mind is always in the game and looking for ways to build on his skills. Altogether, it is no secret that Hope loves the game of football, but one would consider his history with his family a large, unknown secret. 

Junior James Lacadie is another student at Ledyard High School who plays for the football team. His position on the team is the center. He also takes football seriously, always looking to improve and learn new skills. “During the offseason, I learned how to snap a football so I could be the starting center for the next season.” This quote from Lacadie insists on how hard-working and driven he is to achieve his goals. One thing he reveals about the football team is that every week a game is taking place, the team will have a pasta dinner where they hangout, bond, and relax before tomorrow’s game. The way he prepares for the game on his own is eating a good amount at home and arriving at school early to spend time with other players. 

One aspect most people do not know about Lacadie is that he cherishes and values the people in his life more than he lets on. After winning a game, he will message his friends and talk with his family about it. Lacadie states, “My first thought is to talk to the people I’m closest with. It helps keep me going at the sport when they are proud of me, especially after winning.” This helps him keep a reason in mind to keep going and why he is such a hard worker at football. After losing a game, rather than talking to the people he is closest to, he will spend time alone. Additionally, Lacadie brings up, “It helps to spend time alone in the quiet and going to bed early. It allows me to reflect on my gameplay.” This implies how he always tries to stay calm and strive for a better sense of self after a loss. In general, Lacadie’s life is pretty much centered around football while also appreciating his friends and family in silence.

There is one player on the team who has untold interests and hobbies, other than mostly focusing on football. Junior Noah Crocker got into football when one of his friends in choir suggested he play, considering the fact that he was pretty strong. Some hobbies he partakes in are surfing and sailing, which he mostly did over the summer at camp in a program called NESS. But his heart truly lies with music and singing. Crocker states, “What I am truly passionate about is writing poetry and songs about romance.” This shows how he is really interested in expressing love with the art of music and writing, which he has hidden for a good amount of time. He has shown his friends some of his songs, and they report that they are very well written and nice-sounding. 

Even though Crocker enjoys being a member of the choir more than football, he still enjoys the game. He feels that an assumption made by most people is that he is unathletic, which isn’t true. He often works out and is decent at pretty much any sport he has tried. In fact, he plays four different positions on the team. Crocker pays a lot of attention to whether they win or lose. Whenever the Colonels get a win, he takes the time to relax and celebrate with his favorite snacks and drinks. Although after a loss, he takes it a lot more seriously. When asked about the subject, Crocker says, “It depends on how we lose. If the other team was just better and we worked hard while doing our best, I reflect on what I can do better next time and how to improve. But if it is a game where we should’ve won but were overconfident and sloppy, it puts us in a reality check and deflates our ego.” This shows how much he cares and takes these elements into consideration.

Overall, the players on the football team are not just the guys who play during the Friday night lights. They all have their secrets, other interests or hobbies, and ways of thinking. On the field, they all have one thing in common; they want to win. Off the field, they are their own unique selves. They each have their personal experiences and preferences, whether it is one’s family history or writing love songs, but shhh! It’s a secret.

Nyela Whitney, Staff Writer

Junior Nyela Whitney is a staff writer for the 2025-2026 Colonelnews Magazine. She likes writing, spending time with her friends, and playing video games.