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"It's definitely tough to have the season postponed and not know what's in store, but we're in the same boat as everybody else right now," said head coach Jim Rabbitt, who helped found the program four years ago and has been its only head coach. "This is a unique situation for everyone, and we just have to figure out the best way to deal with it as a team."
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) voted earlier this summer to postpone football to a new Fall Sports II season that will run from Feb. 22 to April 25, additionally voting to allow out-of-season coaching for sports that would have their seasons moved. But with Lynn being designated as a red district under the Massachusetts Department of Health's COVID-19 categorization method, all athletic activities must remain on hold until the city is no longer red, according to MIAA rules.
"We're disappointed that we can't get together as a team, but at the same time there really isn't much that we could do as a team even if we could meet," said Rabbitt.
But Rabbitt knows his team is built for this. With 22 returning starters and only two players gone to graduation, KIPP has a level of experience and cohesion that few teams can even aspire to. Players such as Daniel Oluwasuyi, Dave Filias, Taj King, Piero Canales, Mike Brice, Roberto Sterling, Alex Ogando and Joseph Tolentino -- just to name a few -- bring the culture of the football program into their everyday lives.
"In my 12 years of coaching high school football, I can honestly say that I haven't coached a team with this much potential," said Rabbitt. "But it's not just the talent and potential, it's also the way they go about things. The culture that they've created within this program has stuck and they should be incredibly proud of that."
The KIPP football team was founded four years ago, and it has undergone a radical transition from new kid on the block to legitimate state title contender. With Rabbitt at the helm instilling a megadose of hard work and accountability in the program, the Panthers went from 3-8 in their first season to one game short of a playoff berth in their second. Last year, KIPP went 5-2 during the regular season before steamrolling through the Division 8 North tournament and winning its first sectional title. The Panthers ended up bowing out to a strong West Bridgewater team in the state semifinal, but everyone could see that the sky was the limit for the young KIPP team.
But now, with the season on hold and up in the air, the Panthers are facing their toughest test to date. And Rabbitt isn't too worried.
"These guys are built for this," Rabbitt said. "The way these guys grew a program from scratch with all the trials and tribulations they went through at first, they've molded themselves and really grown into men over the years. If there's any group that can weather a storm like this, it's our group."
With state guidelines limiting any football activities to simple individual workouts and drills, players have been forced to take it upon themselves to get into the weight room and stay sharp. For Rabbitt, that's where his team's experience and determination is really going to shine.
"Guys are already out there doing individual work and many of them have been since last season ended," Rabbitt said. "These guys are always in the group chats holding each other accountable, making sure everyone is getting their work in and keeping everyone focused. As a coach, to have that feeling where you don't need to be getting on your guys to put in the work is an incredible feeling."
The other unfortunate casualty caused by the football season being moved is the loss of the annual Thanksgiving Eve rivalry game against Lynn Tech. But even though the two teams won't be clashing in late November this year, Rabbitt is sure that there won't be any less intensity whenever they do meet on the field.
"That's one of the great things about high school football in Massachusetts, that we have this great tradition where the rivals all meet and go head-to-head on Thanksgiving," said Rabbitt. "It's obviously unfortunate that we won't get to be able to do that this year, but I know that (Tech) Coach (James) Runner and I will find a way to make it an important game. The intensity will be there whether that game is at the end of November or the end of April."
Looking ahead, Rabbitt is focused on figuring out solutions to how he and his team can make the most out of whatever the season has in store.
"We've been looking at a lot of different contingencies in terms of what to potentially do about practice space availability and things like that, but it's still a little too early to know what's going to happen," said Rabbitt. "All we know, and we've spoken about this with the team already, is that we're going to do everything we can to make the most of whatever season we get. If it's six games, we're going to try to win all six. If it's 10 games, we're going to try to win all 10. These guys have all earned the right to be here, and now we're going to make the most of it."
Mike Alongi can be reached at malongi@itemlive.com.
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