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The Blue Devils Football program needs our support.  If you had a positive experience with the program, or the coaches: Anthony DeFilio, Rich Murphy, Bill Smith, Ryan Cross or Tyler Stagon, please sign this petition to show your support.

We started this 2024 season with five coaches.  Over the course of the season two of our five coaches came under unnecessary attack.  And despite the backing from the majority of our organization both of these individuals are no longer able to coach us.

We’re looking for voices and support, to show our community as a whole, that we trust and stand behind the decisions and experience of these five coaches.   Please sign and share with anyone you know who supports these coaches and this program.  Every voice matters!

 

 

 

The Blue Devils Football program is special.   We have players from three different towns, coaches with over 50 years of combined coaching experience and a board of dedicated parents and alumni.  Together we are a family.  A football family.

And this family has been working hard since January both on and off the field.  These coaches have been showing up for the team multiple times per week pouring their hearts, energy and more hours than we can count into these players - and they don’t have to.  They’re building a program, a culture, a community of leaders for the future.  Because football is a lifestyle. 

 

 

While this hasn’t been our most winning season, it’s not about that.  The life lessons the athletes learn and bring with them beyond high school are more important.  The relationships, the connections and the work ethic carry far beyond the field, into the classroom, the community, the workforce, and even their own families - just ask a former football player.

Coaches make that happen.  What these men have done for the football program is commendable.  Coaches DeFilio, Murphy, Cross and Smith took over a couple years ago and they have built an incredible program.  Building camaraderie, not only around the team and game, but also around the community, including our East Hampton and Hale Ray counterparts.  Marching in their parades and showing up to their youth games.  We have yet to see another sport’s co-op whole-heartedly embrace other towns the way our coaches have.

Many of our current players have played for members of this staff since they were little guys in youth football.  And all the players have been coached by this group for their entire Blue Devils high school career. There's longevity and the relationships run deep.

 

 

These coaches inspire, encourage, motivate, care for and love these athletes.  They have nothing but their best interest at heart. You can feel when you talk to them how much they care about the team and the players individually.  They treat them like their own sons.  

They do things like:

• call to check in after games
• shake the hands of parents and fans on the sidelines
• encourage players who want to play after high school
• attend important events, like graduations

They are there for these players.

Finally, the coach-athlete relationship is special.  Athletes rely on their coaches for more than just the game.  They spend hours together building a bond.  It takes a long time to build trust and connection and we lost two invaluable links in this chain.  Their absence is felt in every minute of every practice, bus ride and game - it is like losing family.

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We stand behind Anthony DeFilio, Rich Murphy, Bill Smith, Ryan Cross and Tyler Stagon and hope that the community understands what great things they’ve done and continue to do for our athletes.  We will use this letter and support to promote this program and fight for what's right for these kids.

Please sign and share with anyone you know who supports these coaches and this program.  Every voice matters!

Go Blue Devils!

 

 

 

>>NO MONEY IS NEEDED - YOU CAN SKIP DONATION AT THE END<<