The Revival of Stuyvesant Varsity Football

Despite being only halfway through the season, Stuyvesant’s varsity football team, the Peglegs, has established itself as a formidable force on the field, showcasing both improvement and cohesion. For many years, the Peglegs were regarded as a largely disappointing and ultimately weak football program. Just two seasons ago, the team finished 12th in its league, reporting a grim 1-7 record. However, the team has worked hard to change that narrative. “We’ve had a lot more success than people actually realize,” Head Coach Mike Tauber said. “We’ve been to two championships since I’ve been here, and two other 9-1 seasons. There was one stretch in which we made the playoffs six years in a row.”

Concurrently, the tides of Stuyvesant sports culture have been steadily shifting, reflected in a growing sense of athletic pride across the school. This change is evident in the revitalization of events, like the sports banquet, and in recent playoff runs by teams such as junior varsity (JV) basketball, baseball, and soccer. Varsity football has become the most recent team to demonstrate and contribute to this growing momentum.

Many aspects of the team have culminated in their recent success. Junior, wide receiver, and safety Isaac Sprung credited the team’s success to the JV football program for helping players develop their skills. “We’ve had a great JV team for the past two years; we went 5-1 both years. All the guys from those teams are back and ready to go,” Sprung described. 

Preseason is another key part of the team’s lasting success. These offseason practices culminate at Camp Scatico, held every August in upstate New York. The team spends four days and three nights at Camp Scatico, practicing three times a day to develop their skills, technique, and stamina while also building chemistry with their teammates. Sprung emphasized the importance of the program’s offseason weightlifting sessions, which reinforce discipline and commitment, noting that such training keeps the team connected year-round. The training also helps in fostering a family-like atmosphere, which is essential in a sport like football where unity and trust are the cornerstones of success. 

Similar to many of his teammates, Senior, captain, and cornerback James Boodhoo attributes much of the team’s success to the PSAL All Access program. The program gives students from schools without football teams the opportunity to play football for Stuyvesant. “It brings lots of people from a bunch of schools and gives us more players who actually want to play football,” he said. 

Additionally, the program has been especially helpful in remedying the team’s struggles with depth. “It has helped to fill out depth and weak spots within the team,” Tauber said. By bringing in players from other schools, the program ensures that Stuyvesant maintains a complete roster, which allows for substitutions and reduces the risk of injury from starters engaging in excessive playing time. 

Junior, wide receiver, and cornerback Joseph Bido has been key in filling some of the team’s weak spots. As an All Access player, he said, “It’s a great opportunity for me. It helps people to be disciplined off the field and keeps people productive.” Bido, like many of his All Access teammates, attends Murry Bergtraum High School, one of the many schools Stuyvesant is paired with. The program doesn’t interfere with the team’s unity. “This team feels like a family to me, and I’ve found my spot fitting in with the team. I’ve felt so welcomed, and I’m so glad that I have all these guys by my side,” Bido said.

All of the captains credited much of the team’s success to the addition of Offensive Coordinator and Coach Cameron Simerau back in 2023. Senior, captain, running back, and linebacker Aiden Bailey said, “Coach Simerau brought a change of offensive gameplan, and we finally got an offensive coach that helped implement new techniques.” Simerau has encouraged players to become more confident, organized, and disciplined. This change wasn’t instant; it took time to learn the techniques, strategy, and skills that Simerau wanted his players to develop. Now, after these two years, the effects of Simerau’s addition are clearly visible in the team’s results in rushing yards, passing yards, and its winning record.

Many have pointed at Coach Simerau’s addition not only as a turning point of skills and strategies, but also in regards to the team’s culture. “We’ve dropped the loser mentality. There’s an all-year, three-season focus on winning as a football team. In former years, we’ve kind of accepted the fact that we’re Stuyvesant, like, we can’t play football. But, we’ve reached the point where we have better athletes, we care more, and we can beat anybody,” Sprung said. The confidence and drive to be the best is a mindset that hasn’t been present at Stuyvesant football until now.

Sophomore and quarterback Fynn Chadwick emphasized the importance of the team’s leaders and dedicated players. “I think we’ve become a winning program because of the guys that are trying to play at the next level of football. [We’re] trying to elevate ourselves and the team to make that happen,” he described. These players hold their teammates accountable in both practices and games. Their leadership and commitment to the game make both themselves and their teammates better players. 

Many of the Peglegs may go on to play football beyond high school. Junior, captain, left guard, and nose tackle Yonatan David said, “We’re going to send kids to play at the college level, and we already have.” He explained that he and some teammates have been attending various college football camp circuits. “We’ve been talking to many college coaches, from D3 to D1,” David said. The team’s overall improvement isn’t just reflective of an increase in talent; the opportunities to play college football have given the players a deeper commitment to the sport and a growing drive to win.

At preseason football camp in upstate New York, the Peglegs’ coaches made one thing clear: the best football teams have many leaders, not just the captains. In these teams, everyone steps up and pushes each other to improve. This shared desire to elevate one another turns the team into a family. Across all sports, teams that have each other’s backs tend to be the most successful. The Peglegs have much in store as the season progresses, and the school community has the opportunity to see it at the Homecoming game against John Adams High School on Friday, October 24.