It’s said that “leaders are born not made”, but for head football Coach Chris Musseman and his coaching staff, each day on the football field is an opportunity to create leaders.

So far, they are 6-0 in their season and plan on going to playoffs, like they have the previous 3 years. Others, however, might not know the behind-the-scenes of the players’ lives. They’re not only filled with football, but also school work, extracurricular activities, community service, and working long hours for jobs.

For the football team this year, not only do the players and coaches highly value athletics, but they also believe that academics are important to achieve success in life.

When the players are not taking the win on the field, they’re taking a win in the classroom. Academically, the students are thriving all over the board. More than half of the seniors on the varsity team take an AP class. With the high GPA that the students have, they are in the process to apply for a prestigious award. The award is given to a team with an outstanding GPA score overall, which Coach Chris Mussman feels they can win.

“When I look at our team from top to bottom, as a varsity group, I think we have a real shot of winning. We are very academically focused. Both grade levels do well in school, which is really important,” Mussman stated.

As of progress grades, the overall weighted GPA for the team is 3.5.

Beyond academics and athletics, the football team has impressed many individuals with their overall sense of high character and values.

Over the summer, the football staff arranged a character building camp for returning and incoming players of both teams. Four characteristics Mussman believes describes our players are scholars, winners, athletes, and gentlemen. Players and staff created the mnemonic device S.W.A.G., to help students remember the characteristics they represent. This camp included fun activities that the students would want to be a part of, while tying in the meaning of the camp.

“It brought them [the teams] together. They were a fairly fragmented group at the beginning. The junior and senior classes weren’t super tight. Having that experience where we spent all that time together, that summer and everything, really helped bring them together as a team,” Musseman said.

“It showed me that the way I act outside of football and school will affect my playing time. It also taught me that the coaches care more about us becoming good men than winning football games,” senior varsity player Adam Wood said.

Musseman always discusses with his team about  how it isn’t necessarily always winning, but about the preparation. This can not only relate to a football game, but with school and life in general.

One player on the team who is a perfect example of winning on and off the field is senior Derric Roy.

You might know him as Homecoming King, but Roy is an individual who has built his character from the ground up, especially within the past couple of years. Roy has faced many difficulties and struggles throughout his high school experience. However, he has persevered and his character models what Mussman expects from his football players.

“His character at times we weren’t sure, but he has decided to make a change in his life and it’s all the character stuff we’re talking about. The hard work, preparation, doing the right things, he’s doing everything right right now”, Mussman mentions.

From the homecoming night rally, dress up days, coronation, to the parade, the football game held on Friday was the cherry on top. The Ripon High Indians defeated Riverbank with a score of 74-0. For the seniors, playing in their last Homecoming game and taking the win will be memories that they cherish forever.

“I’m sad it’s my last year of football, but I can’t wait to make the most out of it. There’s no other team I’d rather be on than this one,” senior Adam Wood stated.

“I really care for each player on my team and I love them a lot. I have their back and I know they have mine. I’m of course sad it’s my last year playing football with my friends forever. It’s actually surreal, but we just have to make the most of it and keep working. We might as well go as hard as we can, because it’s our last year,” senior Roland Davis said.