For head coach Kirk Kennedy, team chemistry is the foundation of a successful season at Kankakee Valley.
“Any successful football team has to have a strong locker room,” Kennedy said. “If there are issues, they need to be solved in the locker room. When we take the field, we need to be a united front.”
Kennedy said he wants his players to encourage each other and put the team before themselves. “As long as we put the team first and we’re not selfish, we’ll be all right,” he said. “Keep things positive, work hard and set high goals. That’s the recipe.”
Both senior leaders echoed the importance of unity. Duttlinger said his motivation comes from not letting his teammates down. “I’ve been friends with a lot of these guys for a long time,” he said. “I don’t want to disappoint them. That’s what drives me.”
Anderson agreed. “We’ve been playing together since we were kids,” he said. “It’s about brotherhood and not letting each other down.”
