Dear Editor:
I have lived in Hoboken for over 11 years and across the street from JFK Field for the last few years. During the summer I watch the Hoboken High School Redwings (one word) practice in sweltering heat and humidity.
Two-a-days which would make many people give up and walk away. Once school starts, I watch practices with more intensity, taking note of the players numbers and positions as they run through plays over and over again. Around this time is when I become a fanatic about the Redwings. I attend games and watch those plays become alive on the field. I have always felt like I’m watching something special.
This year, The Hoboken High School Redwings had an incredible season – they won the State Championships. I have had the opportunity to meet the coaches, the field house staff and, most importantly, the team. While I haven’t met all of them, there are a handful of students that have stood out to me; Osama – whom I met after he completed the Stevens SATMax course last year, Eliezer – he leaves practice everyday and volunteers at the Hoboken Homeless Shelter, Ricardo – who is friends with my daughter and gives the best compliments on my cooking, Wilden – whose incredible talent has been compared to Cam Newton’s (keep your eye on this young man!), Hafiz – his father comes to every game, never sits but cheers on the Redwings and his son with pride that is infectious, Isaiah – with the biggest smile you’ve ever seen (and the biggest cheering section too) Kyeise – a beast on the field and an all around good kid, Marquis – Hudson Reporter’s Athlete of the Week last month who has an incredibly inspiring story about wanting to come to Hoboken HS to play football, Daquill – the fastest runner on the team being on both the football and track team and has shown his dedication to the school by being a member of a student athlete leadership committee.
They are amazing young men. They had to work hard on the field and in the classroom. They were held to stringent standards by the school in order to stay eligible to play which is a lot of pressure for anyone to deal with.
But they did it!
I am so proud of the entire team for their championship title. They wrote their own story and did not allow anything to get in their way. Congrats to the team, the staff, the coaches and the school for another state title and for keeping the Redwing Pride alive in Hoboken.
Go Redwings!!
Sarah E. Raynor