Homecoming is something that is very important to schools all over America, especially to Hen Hud. Hen Hud’s 40-28 win against Rye Neck on Homecoming Night, September 19th, was well-deserved for all the hard work the coaches and players put into the game.
Cole Coyle, Hen Hud’s varsity football coach, made many improvements to the team. Before joining HenHud, Mr. Coyle played football at Pearl River High School and in college. Though he enjoyed football, Mr. Coyle felt that it was “time for me [Coyle] to move on and focus on what I want to do with my life.” This is a realization many people have through
out their athletic journey. After College, Mr. Coyle coached both varsity and JV basketball and football, as well as varsity baseball at Ardsley.
The varsity football team has seen significant improvement over the years. This year, Mr. Coyle feels that “we[team] have eleven guys that play together rather than eleven individuals,” and that the team is “clicking and jelling and kind of coming together.” This makes a big impact on how a team plays. When teams really “click,” it benefits the game as a whole, and overall, it enables the team to play better.
As for the game, Mr. Coyle felt that “They[Ryneck] kind of showed us everything that we thought we were gonna get.” Since HenHud was prepared for Ryneck’s team, Mr. Coyle was able to give many people playing time, as well as try out different strategies. Because of this, “They exposed us with a little bit of the exit motion stuff that they did.” This may seem like a bad thing, but it allowed players to learn from the game while still winning.
The homecoming game is a special time of the school year when all students come together to support and cheer for one another. When the bleachers are full and students are chanting, it is when the team gains the most confidence to win. Not only is homecoming about the students and players at the school now, “ It’s about the alumni that come back.” Mr. Coyle expressed. “ There’s a million examples of people that come to homecoming because it meant something to them when they were a student here, and they want it to mean something to the students that are here now.”
