“Football teaches life … it instills discipline, like the importance of being on time, paying attention to details, and working hard … but it also teaches you how to stand up when everybody else wants you to stay down. Football teaches you to never, ever give up.
“Football teaches life, it teaches perspective and responsibility through the opportunities we have as players … a platform that should be used to impact this world for the better …”
“What makes football the greatest game in the world is that it teaches us to love one another. A college football locker consists of roughly 105 members: Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, rich, poor, and middle-class…we have players who affiliate with different political parties…
“I believe football teaches life to those who play it. However, it doesn’t have to stop there. Our country could learn from the game of football because diversity is also what makes the United States special. There should be unity rather than division and football taught me that it starts with looking past the differences of those people around you and loving them for who they are.”
Those quotes came from former Purdue University quarterback David Blough at the 2017 Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon. Blough eloquently summed up why football has become America’s pastime. Yes, other sports can accomplish the same objectives, but no other sport brings out passion like football.
The National Football League is a billion-dollar professional entity, and college football is becoming more like a business with the advent of Name, Image, and Likeness. But there’s nothing like being at a high school game in the fall. On Friday nights across the country in both urban and rural areas, communities unite to root on their young men to victory. Whether you’re an alum or a general fan, the smell of burgers and hot dogs on the grill and popcorn, the 50-50/split-the-pot tickets that help athletic departments, cheerleaders, drill teams, marching bands, and pom squads, all provide an escape from the real world for 2½ to 3 hours. There’s absolutely nothing like Friday Night Lights.
Here in Oak Park and River Forest, we’re fortunate enough to have two high schools that have been largely successful over the years. In fact, they both are among the top 50 winningest schools, and the top 100 in terms of winning percentage, all-time in Illinois, according to IHSA football historians Kev Varney and Tom Sikorski.
Oak Park and River Forest High School ranks 14th with 683 victories. The Huskies’ overall record of 683-431-38 creates a winning percentage of .609, 81st all-time in Illinois.
Fenwick High School’s 583 victories are good for 47th. The Friars’ overall record of 583-338-11 provides a winning percentage of .631, good for 61st all-time in the state.
Fenwick has enjoyed much more success than OPRF this decade. In the four non-COVID seasons between 2021 and 2024, the Friars were 31-16 with a Class 5A state championship in 2021 – the first state title in program history. Conversely, the Huskies are 10-26.
No question, Fenwick has bragging rights over OPRF. I anticipate the Friars once again will have a successful regular season and be a state playoff threat. Fenwick is a well-oiled machine that reloads, not rebuilds. Matt Battaglia is a young coach who relates well to his players, and he puts his team in the best position to win more often than not.
But I’m also liking what I see from OPRF this year. I was at the Huskies’ scrimmage at Taft Friday night and came away with a positive impression. OPRF has good, young talent on the rise that just needs experience, and I know John Hoerster is a really good coach. He cares about his players on and off the field (as does Battaglia) and when his offense clicks, it’s hard to stop.
Finally, we’re fortunate to have two good facilities to watch home games in the area. Oak Park Stadium teems with energy when the Huskies play, and Triton College does a good job of hosting Fenwick football games. And the student sections – OPRF’s Dog Pound and Fenwick’s Friar Nation – are two of Chicagoland’s best: they always bring it.
It’s going to be a fun football season. I’ll see you at the games.