These boys are looking and feeling DONtastic! Over 50 freshmen are making up the fall football team this Fall for the Dons. All first timers to the tackle football. The nature of tackle football is simply more in-depth compared to flag – there are more intricate techniques, schemes and plays, a higher level of physicality, etc.  And these Dons are coming in ‘ACAstrong’ with their athleticism, strategy, agility, team spirit, and some mean aerodynamic jumps and leaps. 

It feels great to be out there with my teammates, sense of a brotherhood. I’ve learned how to run plays I never knew going in. Coach McSorley is motivating me the most right now and he said there is no room for mental mistakes.  Grant Ricker shares his thoughts on getting ready physically and mentally for the upcoming season 

ACAfootball creates a special bond. This is because it’s a sport where you cannot hide. You might be doing great until a play knocks you down. As a ACAfootball player, you don’t get up alone you have your team with you.  This mutual understanding builds a bond like no other.  This bond leads to accountability to each other as a team.

I have learned new ways to play the game and new ways to train for those strategies. It feels great being out there with my teammates because those players are also my brothers in this family. Coach Hansen has had many ways to motivate so far but the words that have stuck to me the most is ‘there’s always going to be someone there to pick you up so fall down and make mistakes’.    Tommy ‘Tito’ Terhar shares his insight on his football team/family. 

There is definitely no ‘I’ in team. ACAfootball is the ultimate team sport. Every single position in football is important. Every single Don is important. Every single one, from the center to the kicker, to the offensive line to the safety and even the guys on the sideline support their brothers-all impact the ACAteam. If the ball is not snapped correctly, the quarterback will not get it. If the offensive line doesn’t hold its blocks, our quarterback will be sacked, which means he can’t hand the ball to the running back or pass it to the wide receiver for the touchdown. And defense, every single player is critical: dig in, stop ’em, sack the QB. Many NFL coaches believe, ‘Defense wins games’. No one player is more special than the other. And that is the truth! You need all the parts and pieces to work together. Eleven different people must be working toward a common goal, each doing their part to the best of their ability. The Dons have been out faithfully this summer working together as a team, build their skills and getting focused for their upcoming season.

I think the coaches that are motivating me the most are the line coaches. Not only because I work with them the whole practice but because they push us and it shows that they really want us to get better. Every practice we are better with our mental game and our physical game because of our coaches. They help us out so much whether it be learning the plays,  teaching technique on the line, mostly everyone is new to tackle football so it is very helpful to have a great coaching staff like we do.  Joey Martin gives his insight on life as a Frosh-Don

Summer Football, Dons Football, Acalanes Family: The biggest benefit of playing freshman football is the friendships made in the days before school even starts. Just a few weeks with your new teammates can cement friendships that will make that first day of walking on campus even better than it would be otherwise. All incoming freshmen are naturally nervous and unsure of themselves, but football kids have an extra 50+ friends/brothers, plus 100+ ‘older brothers’ (JV and Varsity) walking onto campus with them with high five in the hallways. School has not even started yet, but these boys are ready for the school bell to ring and that football whistle to blow. HERE COME THE DONS!