As Holyoke Football advances to 2-0 on the season with hard fought victories over Putnam and Chicopee High, the team’s future looks as promising as ever. After crushing defeats by both of these teams last season, these wins were especially sweet. This however, would not be possible without the dedication of the players and coaching staff throughout the off season to ensure they wouldn’t repeat their previous 1-10 record.

The Holyoke coaching staff’s season started off in January. While other teams’ coaches enjoyed their time off, Joe Dutsar, David Guzman, Mark Lubold and Rashad (Hershey) Milage dedicated a large amount of their own time to attend coaching clinics throughout New England. As can be seen on Friday nights, the team has put in place an entirely new defensive and offensive system, to which the players have adapted exceptionally.

“Coach Lubold and I sat in with the defensive coordinator from Springfield College for some one-on-one tutoring,” said Coach Dutsar. “Jack Holik is a defensive genius. So we came away from the winter with a new philosophy and scheme.” The coach’s work has certainly paid off as the Purple Knights have allowed an average of only 16 points a game.

For the Knights coaching staff, player safety is a top priority. With studies continuing to show the detrimental impact of concussions on athletes, and with the amount prevalent injuries from last season, the coaches are willing to do whatever it takes to keep their players safe.

“I applied for the Silvio Cella grant that was worth 3,000 dollars,” said Coach Dutsar. “We were on of 4 teams in the entire state to win the grant. We used that to purchase safety equipment for our players.”

This new equipment includes several tackling wheels, and new state of the art tackling dummies that can move when pulled by another player. The overall goal is to limit contact as much as possible in practice, so players can stay healthy for the games. In addition to the new safety equipment, the team also hired a strength and conditioning coach, who worked throughout the summer to prepare the athletes for a grueling season.

In a flash, the offseason was over and the pre-season began. With their 1-10 season behind them, the Knights put in place their new offense and defense, which through hard work and a strong mentality, the players took on in stride.

In the first few weeks of practice, athletes developed mentally and physically and the leaders arose. After careful consideration, the coaching staff selected five captains: Jose Luciano (CB), Gio Carrasquillo (RB), Owen Lavelle (FB), Nolan Keane (C), and Finn Lubold (TE).

The team’s hard work and offseason preparation has led them to a 2-0 record against two teams who they suffered crushing losses to last year. With a strong running back corps headed by Gio Carrasquillo and Kendrick Williams, you can expect to see a run heavy offense that depends on the dedication of their O-Line. While the competition for starting QB is ongoing, the Junior Leesandro Colon has been the most active throughout the past two weeks. On the other side of the ball, Holyoke’s defense has been on fire keeping both of their opponents’ scores under 20 points and the ball out of the air.

The Purple Knights face a tough schedule this season, facing powerhouses such as Central and Longmeadow High. If they have proven anything, it is that this team knows how to overcome adversity and deal with whatever comes at them. This week the Knights take the long ride to Wahconah Park to square off against Pittsfield, on Friday the 22nd at 7 PM.