Meet the 5 new high school football coaches in the Springfield area for 2024

Several new high school football coaches will command the sidelines for the first time this fall in the Springfield area.

That includes Lanphier’s Ademola Adeniji, Southeast’s Nate Borders, Litchfield’s Colton Faure, Pawnee’s Josh Talley and Gillespie’s Cory Bonstead.

Here’s what to know about each new football coach in The State Journal-Register coverage area:

Lanphier Head Coach Ademola Adeniji uses a stop watch to time a player during practice Tuesday, July 2, 2024.

Ademola Adeniji, Lanphier

The 2003 Lanphier graduate has acquired vast football experience over his playing and coaching career.

Adeniji generated 1,254 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior running back at Eastern Illinois University under Bob Spoo before serving as an assistant coach at Lanphier and Sacred Heart-Griffin, while also coaching in the Springfield Youth Football League.

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He learned over that span that not every kid learns or develops the same way.

“They have gone through a process they have never gone through before,” Adeniji said of his current team.

He said even this past week he has seen that culture, camaraderie and confidence crystallize through singing the school’s fight song.

“It’s come a very long way and every day I ask them who are they and they repeat confidence because no matter what I give them or my staff gives them, if they aren’t confident in themselves to be able to talk to each other, learn, teach and communicate, the result of what we’re trying to accomplish on the field will never happen.”

Adeniji especially credited the linemen for setting a positive example as the most consistent group — along with senior quarterback Joseph Gentry — on a young team that features just three seniors. Those…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/meet-5-high-school-football-080557891.html

Author : The State Journal-Register

Publish date : 2024-08-05 08:05:57

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