How did you start playing football?
I began working out with the high school football team while I was in 8th grade at Whitney Young’s Academic Center. I never played organized football prior to high school.
What is your favorite memory from playing football in high school?
My junior year we beat Lane Tech, or biggest rival, for the conference championship. Current Chicago Alderman Michael Scott was our running back who scored the go-ahead touchdown.
What did you learn in high school football that you apply to your coaching job now?
Discipline and accountability. My head and offensive line coach – Coach Prince – was a strict disciplinarian who would not allow mental mistakes or loafs. He kept things simple, but imposed consequences when mistakes were made on or off of the field.
Out of all the guys that play O-Line who do you think brings the most effort week in and week out?
I think a lot, if not all, of our players put forth an exemplary amount of mental and physical preparation. We ask a lot of our players and they tend to treat these challenges as opportunities for improvement.
Chase Bahr is obviously a captain of the football team but are there any other leaders on the O-Line that deserve praise?
Our seniors are a big part of our success and our best leaders. Their work ethic in the off-season has been contagious to our junior class and lower levels.
What do you think needs to be done to beat Stevenson in the trenches this week?
We need to fire off the ball and go after their defensive front. They have some good players who are big and athletic in their front 6 or 7 and we need to be ready for the challenge. They also move and blitz quite a bit and we need to be mentally prepared to pick up the different looks we intend to see.
What has been the best part of coaching this year?
The best part of this year has been our success on the road, and hopefully it will continue this week. We have had some key victories away from Varsity Field and that is because of our players’ willingness to prepare and compete at a high level in a hostile environment.
Favorite memory coaching any team at Lake Forest?
We went to the semi-finals in 2012, and in 2013, we lost a very close game to Batavia in the quarter-finals. Batavia ended up winning their next 2 games by 40 points.
What is your favorite part about coaching the O-Line?
My favorite part of coaching in general is the camaraderie with the players and coaching staff. We spend a lot of time together and create bonds that last a long time. Coaching o-line specifically is fun because the group needs to work together as a cohesive unit for the team to have success. We help each other out, pick each other up, and no member of the group wants to let the team down because of a mental or physical bust or lack of preparation.
