By Alejandra Dovale-Puig

The Richview Collegiate community prides itself on having strong and successful sports teams, but the sport that manages to draw the most attention every year is football. Richview football has been the talk of the halls ever since the first kickoff six decades ago. The pre-game excitement, eagerly waiting to watch your friends and classmates play such an entertaining sport, is something that our school has always loved. It brings our community together, and watching it feels like living the “classic high school experience.” Football has the unique ability to make its fans feel included in the adventure, and the Richview football team is no exception. This year, this triumphant group has used their rich culture and multi-generational legacy to make a very successful season. The grip that football has on the entirety of North America is unmatched compared to any other sport in the continent. If you aren’t someone who loves football, you know someone who does. Richview partakes in this rich culture immensely with its historic chants, superstitions, and traditions that have been brought down through several generations.

A football frenzy takes over the school every fall. This sport raises a powerful and incomparable excitement amongst Richview students, which can be seen from the momentous Friday Night Lights becoming one of the year’s most anticipated events. The culture grows inside and outside of the team. Fullback Isaiah Jones comments:

“Richview has been good at football since they started… All the traditions, like tapping the top of the locker room door as you leave, has contributed to our success. It’s about doing anything you can to keep the culture high.”

“Keeping the culture high,” is considered an advantage in football. Being such a bonded team due to historical values increases the chemistry between teammates enormously. “There’s a reason why good teams stay good.” says Lukas Winiker (Defensive Line). This unique chemistry brings the team to improve their skills and technique on the field. Individual talent was definitely a crucial and contributing factor to their success, but the team’s rich culture and spirit was what truly pushed the Saints to take it to the next level.

Richview’s football culture isn’t the only element that has greatly contributed to the team’s success this season. The Richview football legacy is something that has been passed down since the first year the team started. It inspires each individual player to perform the best they can and it sets the example of how committed a player should be.

“Having an older brother that’s played on this team has made me commit more, put more into it, fight for the team more and do more than I normally would have. There’s a legacy you have to live up to.” Ryan Mezik (Linebacker) shares.

Those with older relatives that have played for Richview football in the past are held to an even higher standard. There are not only external expectations, but a personal drive to live up to their potential and succeed in this prideful sport. This pressure is used effectively to push the athletes, and it’s an advantage that they have over many other schools. Overall, a Richview football player always demonstrates effort, plays fair, puts the team over themselves, and shows an outstanding amount of commitment. That is what differentiates them from any other team.

The football team this year represented Richview fantastically.

They became the most decorated Richview football team in history by becoming the TDSSAA Senior Tier 1 Champions, the Toronto Bowl Champions, and finally, the Metro Bowl Champions. They also put on an incredible show for fans at Friday Night Lights by defeating our rivals, ECI. They showed constant determination and dedication throughout the entire season. This is an incredible achievement that brings pride to the whole school community. It definitely took individual talent, but the strong culture and the legacy that the team continues to build each year is what makes this group different from any other.

Congratulations to all the players, coaches, managers, and everyone who contributed to the team! We have more than our 2023 roster to thank; every single player through the generations of Richview football has brought the team to where they are today. The heritage of this triumphant sport is unlike any other at our school, and we are currently witnessing a legacy in the making.