Hilliard Optimist Football Alumni tell what the program meant to them "Playing in the Hilliard Optimist Youth Football league taught me not only the fundamentals of a game as special as football, but also allowed me to experience the pure joy that football brings for the very first time. I made friendships in those early years that I still have to this day.Optimist football laid out the foundation for a craft that I would continue to work on for the next 15 years, taking me from coast-to-coast, developing both the player I was and the person I am today."
Jordan Weatherby Hilliard Davidson Football Alumni!
"What I enjoyed from Hilliard Optimist Youth Football. . .I learned the right and wrong way to play the game. Figured out how to compete as a team. Played against players from all across Hilliard that later on would become my brothers and good friends. That alone is the biggest impact on the life I’m living now."
Ryan Tuchow Hilliard Davidson Football Alumni
"The Optimist football program was where I first found my passion for football. Through the Hilliard Optimist Youth Football league I was able to meet new friends and learn the value of teamwork, perseverance and toughness at an early age. My favorite memory from optimist football was playing a “prime time” game on Saturday night under the lights."
Kyle Annis Hilliard Davidson Football Alumni
My Hilliard Optimist Youth Football Experience!
"Hard work, perseverance and accountability. Believe it or not even future collegiate football players didn’t start their whole lives! Learning from a young age how to work hard toward something and to keep showing up to earn something you aspire to, and even more importantly knowing how to humble yourself and not feel that you inherently deserve something, is one of the most important things I learned growing up. You don’t have to be the star of the show to have fun, embracing the grind and working toward a common goal with your teammates teaches you both how to enjoy daily struggles and how to build community with those around you."
Alex Backenstoe Hilliard Davidson Football Alumni
"Playing Hilliard Optimist Youth Football started my love for football and allowed me to learn what hard work was but also having fun while playing. It also allowed me to create memories that I still are able to talk about with my buddies as well as others who I was able to create a relationship with through optimist football."
Owen Savage Hilliard Davidson Football Alumni
"Learning how to be apart of a team while dealing with adversity. Hilliard Optimist Youth Football helped me overcome nervous feelings- I had to learn how to overcome those nerves and control my mindset. My 3 years of optimist football, my coaches didn’t have a son on the team -they just wanted to pass down the development, passion and the love of the game to the next generation."
Nick Dymek Hilliard Davidson Football Alumni
I played many years of Optimist football and learned many valuable lessons: hard work, teamwork, accountability, and commitment stood out to me.But not as much as the one that I will use for the rest of my life. . . love. The importance of loving what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with, brings all the other things I listed above.
I learned this from my former Coach Chad Cordle. If the next generation of football players or athletes loves and are passionate about what they are doing, then they will get the most out of everything in life.
Alex Painter Davidson Football Alumni
Playing Hilliard Optimist Football as a kid taught me the value of teamwork, perseverance, and discipline. It instilled in me a strong work ethic and taught me how to push myself beyond my limits to achieve success both on and off the field. I am also grateful to have met a number of my friends I’m close with to this day from playing on the same teams together. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the lessons I’ve learned and the people I’ve met through the Hilliard Optimist Youth Football
Bobby Smith Hilliard Davidson Football Alumni
The Hilliard optimist youth football program taught me the great game of football. In the game of football there is an abundance of lessons that relate to football and life that I carry with me still. It taught me how to work hard, even when instant gratification isn’t the result. It taught me how to be accountable and consistent, down to the smallest of details. Most importantly, it taught me to respect and show love/brotherhood, no matter someone’s situation, nationality or upbringing.
Bosston Nolty Hilliard Davidson Football Alumni
Optimist Football was the best football experience I had…including high school and college. I was so lucky to play for the Saints and Chris Lardiere who showed me early on that football was about so much more than what happened on the field. Coach Lardiere required us to get a weekly note from our teacher showing we were of right character to play for the Saints and Optimist Program. He
and his assistants preached the team concept and gave out helmet stickers for character traits and effort…everything except scoring touchdowns. I also learned from him and the Optimist program to enjoy the process- too often in sports and life we are caught up in results, but the Saints taught me the results would take care of itself if the process was right.
I also vividly remember him telling me, “…not every play is designed to score a touchdown.” I always took that to mean more than football…that there is so much strategy and processing to anything you want bad enough, and little pieces help you get where you want; that preparation and details set you apart.
On the field- we learned the core fundamentals of football. Coach Lardiere was special. I was ahead of my peers at a young age in football knowledge and skills simply for playing.
Adam Olsheski Hilliard Darby Football Grad