The John Champe Knights took the football field for the first time this season on Aug. 28, 2025. The Knights have won one of the first three games, but varsity head coach Lee Carter says the team still has work to do.
Carter said the squad has been inconsistent. With more than 20 varsity players graduating last year, this season’s roster is younger than the past. While preseason practices showed strong chemistry, Carter believes the team is still learning how to rely on its leaders.
“The team has shown a lot of potential, but we’ve been very up and down,” Carter said. “That’s expected from a young team.”
Younger players want to prove themselves and often look to older teammates for guidance. Linebacker and tight end Ty Kann has become one of those leaders. A member of the JCHS football program throughout his entire high school career, Kann knows firsthand how intimidating it can feel for underclas
(Anthony Canonico)
smen to approach upperclassmen but he wants to make that process easier.
“I try to lead by example,” Kann said. “I want to make sure the younger guys feel comfortable asking questions.”
To address the inconsistencies Carter sees, the Knights are focusing on preparation both on and off the field. Practices are designed to push players to give effort, while film study helps them improve their understanding of the game. Kann says he wants his teammates to go all out not just for Coach Carter, but for the good of the team as a whole.
“We’ve been focusing on details during film, perfecting our assignments, and making every rep in practice count,” said Kann.
The push for improvement isn’t limited to the football players. Success on game day relies on everyone working together as a unit, including the varsity cheerleaders. Their role is to energize the crowd and support the Knights, and they take that responsibility seriously. The squad focuses on projecting their voices and perfecting routines so they’re ready to perform before kickoff.
crowd at the first varsity football game on Aug. 28, 2025.
(Anthony Canonico)
“We prepare for game nights by practicing sideline cheers and band dances so we are more confident and able to perform to the best of our abilities,” Varsity Cheerleader Arianna Remke said. “Last year, we really only stuck to so many cheers, but this year we are expanding our variety of cheers.”
The challenges for both teams aren’t just physical, but mental as well. Cheerleaders and players believe that improving both mentally and physically is critical to helping the Knights reach their full potential. For Kann, that mental challenge comes in learning how to balance friendship with leadership on the field.
“The toughest part is balancing being a friend and being a leader,” Kann said. “Finding that balance is key to becoming the best high school football team we can be.”
