Sports

Vikings Football Players, Coach Discuss Effects of Winning

Port Washington dominates developmental league play in 2013.



By Rich Jacques 

Some Port Washington players and coaches seem to agree that the experience of winning against a weaker schedule in football this year beats the challenges associated with losing against tougher teams of the past.

Playing in Nassau's developmental league since 2012, Port Washington dominated conference play this season against members Jericho, Great Neck North, Great Neck South, Roslyn, St. Dominic, Friends Academy and Long Island Lutheran. 

The Vikings suffered their only loss of the season in the final game of the year, a 15-14 thriller against Roslyn (7-1) on Nov. 2.

In developmental league play, each team plays an eight-game schedule with no post season. No team or individual records count in Nassau or at the state level.  

The loss of losing teams from Nassau Conferences I, II and IV since 2011 has created a new bottom for those divisions but has provided a new contenders in the developmental league.

In their current situation, Vikings players gain positive experience from winning, according to Head Coach Jamel Ramsey, honored by the New York Jets this season as a Coach Of The Week.

"I know for the past three years we had a little bit of a struggle," said Ramsey, who congratulated school administrators at a school board meeting Nov. 14 for "putting [the team] in a conference where we believe we can compete."

Also speaking at Schreiber, a senior on the football team said the program was "kind of like a joke" two years ago when the team wasn't winning against tougher foes, but times have changed.

"No one was proud of me making the varsity team as a sophomore because we stunk," said Vikings player Chris Siefert.

With bigger crowds at home games in 2013 and increased interest in the team, winning apparently has its advantages, according to Siefert.

"Everyone has become so much more passionate about the football team," said Siefert. "Port Washington football has risen from the dead."

Vikings player Kyle Granger said in his freshman year there was a combined 40 kids on the varisty and JV squads, this year there was 40 on varsity alone.

"More than becoming a team, it's becoming a family," said Granger. "It's been an extreme pleasure to play for this team and this community."

See also: 

Tell us in the comments section: Can more be learned from losing against tougher foes or winning against lighter competition?


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here