Seattle Prep Football team captain Nico Nedialkov Sala is taking on a lot of responsibility to set the standard for Prep Football this season. Nedialkov Sala said his job as a team captain is to, “to set an example for everybody” and “[the team] should follow my lead in my effort, my communication, and my positivity.”
Along with the leadership of the captains, Nedialkov Sala said unity amongst the team can help Prep Football perform well this season, “if we can really create that sense of unity and that sense of bond and that family, within the program and the team, I think we’ll go farther than anybody can believe.”
Not only are captains vital for a team, but the leadership of the coaching staff is also especially important. Nedialkov Sala gave high praise to Aaron Maul, the ninth-year Seattle Prep Head Football Coach, saying, “I would die on a hill for him” and “Coach Maul is someone who’s going to look after his players, who’s going to care about them.”
The trust Nedialkov Sala and the team has in Maul will help them push through the adversity they face throughout the season so Prep can get wins in tough situations. Furthermore, Coach Maul being at Prep for almost a decade and returning 11 starters to the team will allow Prep to lean on familiar faces to push through the challenges they face this year. Prep Football has already faced adversity early in the season with their losses to Roosevelt and O’Dea but showed resilience in their 54-31 win over Bishop Blanchet on September 27.
Leadership and unity can only take you so far, hard work is needed for Prep to be successful this year. The team did many workouts over the Summer including strength and conditioning sessions with new strength and conditioning coach, AJ Middleton. In addition to the strength and conditioning workouts, the team worked on the field to prepare for the season.
Nedialkov Sala said he personally worked out over the Summer to get ready for the year. This hard work sets the foundation for the season so the team can get off to a hot start and have the stamina to remain competitive down the stretch.
If the team can practice what they preach, Prep Football will be poised for a successful 2024 season. Coach Maul and the team captains will be hoping success means bringing a state title back to Seattle Prep for the first time since 1968. Good luck to the 2024 Seattle Prep Panthers Football Team!
