"The team comes first, not the individual," says Chris Hare, football coach of the Maine West Warriors. "You need to completely buy into the team philosophy."
"All in," a concept developed by head coach Hare, has become the official motto and shared attitude for the season. The phrase--a gambling term used when a player risks losing everything on one bet--embodies the dedication and perseverance the group is bringing to the field.
In final week of summer vacation, while most high school students were enjoying their last few days of staying up late and leeping in past noon, the Maine West Warriors football team was out on the field preparing for their upcoming season.
Find out what's happening in Des Plaineswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
From the morning hours into the evening, the 2010 Warriors ran drills, conditioned their bodies and hardened their spirits in preparation for what they hope will be a victorious season.
Hare's new philosophy has had a noticeable effect on the players, who woke up at 7:30 a.m. to prepare for practice rather than starting in the afternoon, as was the case last summer. During the school year the team practices after school rather than in the morning.
Find out what's happening in Des Plaineswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Mike Farias, a senior and inside linebacker, acknowledged that the team was a bit lazy last year when it came to summer practice camp. But with Hare and his coaching staff's motivation, the players have come to realize it is actually the beginning of their season, he said.
This shift may be the team's key to a better record. Last season saw a disappointing 2-7 finish for Maine West. But opponents should not expect the 2010 Warriors to be a walkover.
They should "not to expect the same team as last year, 'cause we're coming out with a new plan," senior quarterback Ziggy Krycka said.
That "new plan" comes with a refurbished team, as almost half the players are first year varsity sophomores and juniors. Hare, who also coached at Deerfield High School and Maine South High School, says this is one of his fastest teams ever and cites the strong senior leadership as the Warriors' major strength.
The veteran Warriors are just as excited about the new team.
Unity and camaraderie are at their highest levels, according to senior linebacker Mike Cardamone.
"The desire is so much stronger this year than it was last year," he said. "We're willing to put [in] the extra effort and go out in the fourth quarter--when we're tired and down--to win games."
Though their first game against the Wheeling Wildcats was a 19-13 defeat, the Warriors still made a grand statement about their intentions.
It couldn't have started any stronger, with a senior wide receiver running the opening kick 89 yards for a touchdown. But the Wildcats took over in the second half, scoring three touchdowns overall to the Warrior's two. What could have been a game-winning pass by Krycka was intercepted to end the drive on Aug. 27.
Though the lack of on-field experience among the new players may have proved a detriment, Hare said, it is something the team will grow out of over the season. And just two games into the season, Maine West looks to have found their comfort zone. Senior running back Calvin Williams led Maine West to a 14-6 victory Saturday over North Chicago with his two touchdowns. Both Hare's offensive and defensive lines were in top shape.
"We're gonna compete," the coach said. "Our goal is to compete and be in every game and learn how to finish games. If we can learn to finish games we will do some great things."
Maine West Warriors will be playing an away game at Waukegan High School on Sat. Sept. 11. View the full schedule here.
