Etowah building new group of leaders
By Griffin Callaghan
gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com
As Etowah coach Matt K emper
KICKOFF ‘22 103
heads into his 30th year of
coaching, he decided to make
a concerted effort to turn his
players into leaders.
Eighteen players from this
year’s Eagles team took a course
designed to enhance their leadership
skills and create a more
successful product on and off the
field. Every Thursday, starting
in January, these players came
in an hour early for school to
take the course.
“It taught us a lot of discipline,”
sophomore quarterback
X avier Mahoney said. “We woke
up every morning they asked us
instead of staying in. Not everybody
could do it. With the
guys that went, it shows their
discipline and toughness. It
taught us how to be leaders.”
Throughout the course, the
group read a book called Chop
Wood Carry Water by Joshua
Medcalf. It condensed the
program’s mission statement
and philosophy to three core
values: accountability, toughness
and love.
Defensive coordinator Steve
Sapere designed a curriculum
about leadership, which included
homework.
“They defined what those
things looked like in the classroom,
the community, in practice
and in games,” K emper said.
“It was really insightful stuff.
We had a lot of kids step up.”
Both of Etowah’s young quarterbacks,
Mahoney and junior
Jack Strickland, were in attendance
as they prepare to take
the helm.
For someone like senior tight
end Joseph Lago, the course was
all about developing skills that
would translate to better leadership
on the field. Lago has
always led by example, though
now he understands how to be
vocal in encouraging his teammates
and helping set standards
at Etowah.
“Doing this leadership course
helped me become more of a vocal
leader,” Lago said. “We started a
commitment contract to set rules
and boundaries for the team. All
of that was so beneficial.”
Senior linebacker Drew Doran
said the main thing he took
away from this experience was
that he and his teammates needed
to step up in 2022. The results
are apparent as the Eagles
have become closer as a unit
in preparation for this season.
O ne of the course’s aspects
that stood out to Doran the most
was the book, where each chapter
discussed a new life lesson.
He said everyone found chapters
that resonated with them
while reading.
“The communication with
our team has really improved,”
j unior linebacker Dravin Cole
said. “Last year, we were not
talking a ton out there. It was
really j ust some of the older
guys, and people would only
listen to them. Now we all talk
and contribute as a team.”
Etowah graduated a large
group of seniors from last season,
many of which played important
roles both on the field
and in the locker room, with
Braden Bohannon and Jaiden
Maddox.
K emper’s effort to instill leadership
qualities into his players
has excited players like Lago,
Cole and others, leading into
an important 2022 season for
the program.
“I think it will help us be more
united than we have been,” Lago
said. “We had good talent but
j ust never made it into a solid
team. It had just been a bunch
of individuals out there. This
year is going to be more of a
bonding experience than last
season. We will be a lot more
united.”
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