Football Welcomes New Coach

P-A-T-S PATS PATS PATS! Albemarle football players have been pumped for the Friday night games with the new head Coach Brandon Isaiah’s chant. “Something that I can say that I brought to the school.” Coach views the chant as “how you add your own little swagger, your own little taste to it.” Coach Isaiah is new to AHS this year, after transferring here from Monticello.

When asked about the Monticello game, he said “it’s just like playing your brother, you’re going to be excited about it,” Coach explained that “there’s gonna be emotions involved either way.”

Coach Isaiah said that his coaching techniques come from the phrase “all good coaches steal from other coaches,” but that, “the biggest thing for me that makes me authentic would be my energy.” He wants to “instill all of those lessons that I’ve learned throughout my life into the kids.”

Coach Isaiah’s relationship with the players extends past the field. He wants to do “everything in my power to put the right people around them,” saying that his mentality is “just a product of the way I was raised.” Junior lineman Jesus Lazo said, “he really knows what we’re going through, and can help us out with any problems we have.”

When viewing the first few games leading up to the Fluvanna game, Coach Isaiah said that “winning and losing is gonna take care of itself.” But that, “it all depends on the boys and what they want to do, I’ve been talking to them about having high expectations.” Coach Isaiah and the rest of the coaches have been “talking to the guys about just making sure that we take advantage of every opportunity we have to make plays, to do things the right way, to be disciplined.” Coach said, “even with us losing, I feel like we got better every week.”

During practices and games, Coach Isaiah has the boys focus on “the process that happens before the actual game,” He tells the boys that “you have to take pride in actually going through the process of practice.” In order to be successful, he says that “whatever time I want you at practice, make sure you’re on time. If I say run to a drill, run to a drill.” These small details are what he wants the boys to focus on so that they can be an effective team. Senior linebacker Brett Eubank said that, “he tries to instill a work ethic that will last for more than just the season.”

Coach Isaiah has bonded with the boys on and off the field; they have become a family and are looking forward to the rest of the season. Be sure to watch these boys and Coach Isaiah in action tonight, in their battle against Powhatan on our home turf at 7:00.