Open Letter to Community: Frank Roche, Arlington Football

ARLINGTON FOOTBALL OPEN LETTER TO COMMUNITY

To the Arlington community:

My name is Frank Roche. I am the head football coach at Arlington High School, a Class of 2015 AHS graduate, and a 3rd generation resident of Arlington. I played college football at Tufts University and have now been coaching high school football for 5 years. The purpose of this letter is first and foremost, to extend an invitation for families in town to consider football as a sport for their kids and secondly, to explain why you should even consider this idea. I also want to start by acknowledging that football is not for everyone. However, the inherent challenging nature of football makes it a unique and intriguing outlet for young men to be active and contribute to a bigger cause.

I have loved every second of being the head football coach of AHS since I was hired in February of 2023. We have worked extremely hard to build a strong team and instill our core values of Effort, Attitude, and Toughness into everything we do on and off the field. We’ve been blessed to make the playoffs two years in a row, send our players to play in college, and keep Arlington talent in Arlington. On the flip side, two challenges we face as a program are depth and lack of experience. Why is it that Arlington High School - with a school enrollment of over 1,700 - has only 40-50 students who play football? Why is it that about half of the kids that come out for football have never played before high school?

To me the answer is obvious… There is no youth development of kids that are interested in football. Arlington Pop Warner (youth football) has not functioned in town since 2012 (cheer is still operating) and a recent middle school team has not received the support it has needed to thrive. The time, effort, and structure needed to develop a passion and knowledge for the game has not flourished.

That will change this coming fall. Arlington Youth Football Club (AYFC) is a newly incorporated non-profit organization whose mission is to provide high quality programs and coaching for young people interested in football. We’re run by a group of Arlington football alums and current residents committed to giving kids in Arlington a safe, fun, and supportive environment to learn and grow through football. We look to teach the fundamentals of the game while building character, discipline, and sportsmanship. Whether your child is picking up a football for the first time or already has a few seasons under their belt, AYFC is here to help them develop their skills, gain confidence, and be part of something bigger than themselves. This year, we will be offering tackle football teams at the 7th & 8th grade level and 5th & 6th grade level depending on numbers. Our website and registration recently went live and we have an early bird discount if you register by June 15th. This is a true community initiative, meant to bridge the gap between youth and high school football in town.

Now to address why you should give it a shot:

Experience & Values:
My organized youth football experience did not start with touchdowns and success. The first game of my career, my 6th grade team played West Lynn; we didn’t score a point. In fact, we didn’t gain a first down. With tears streaming down my face after taking another big hit, I realized this was a different experience than watching NFL games on Sunday afternoons. The difficulty of football is something that you never escape. You simply grow to embrace the challenge. Ultimately, football taught me a lot about dealing with adversity which I applied to my academics and other sports and opened doors that I never knew existed. Practices will be a grind and games will test your will. But it is the best preparation for the real world that a 12-18 year old can get. In an era of instant gratification and individualism, football rewards those who are selfless teammates and put in the work when no one is watching. The structure, accountability, and attitude you need to develop in order to be a successful member of a football team are values that translate immediately to school, work, and beyond.

Safety:
While there are serious physical risks involved with playing football as with any sport, AYFC and AHS Football are committed to going above and beyond every recommended safety guideline. In fact, safety is one of the main reasons I am so motivated to help develop a strong youth football organization. I want my high school players to be safe and experienced football players better understand safe techniques and how to avoid dangerous situations. That experience ideally happens at the developmental (youth) level where the skill gap hasn’t widened too much. Right now, we don’t have enough numbers for a freshman team to continue that developmental phase… but we are looking to change that. In addition to providing a structure for development, our high school and youth coaches are all trained in HeadsUp tackling and must go through a coaching certification course. At both levels, our practices aim to limit unnecessary contact while also simulating real football plays. Learning how to practice is just as important as practicing itself. Players gain an understanding of what a dangerous situation is and how to avoid them. With the sport under scrutiny for injuries, we are also taking steps to provide proper equipment for our players. We are able to offer Guardian Caps, protective helmet shells now seen in the NFL, to our high school players and would like to get to a point where we can offer them at all levels. Additionally, thanks to an incredible grant from the Dan Kelly Foundation, AYFC will be able to purchase new helmets and shoulder pads for our 7th/8th grade team for this season. Up-to-date and proper fitting equipment are the first steps to ensuring safety.

AHS Football Support:
The toughest adjustment for many students is going from middle school to high school. Joining the high school football team immediately provides a built in support system of 40+ teammates. For freshmen football players walking into the high school on the first day of school, they will already be well-accustomed to the school and have an upperclassmen mentor they can ask questions to. It is important to me that freshmen trying football for the first time feel just as much a part of the team as our seniors. I want the same to be true for our youth football players in town. Because practices start in August, a 7th grader who is new to OMS should have 10+ 8th graders he can count on to be a support. Football creates a brotherhood that lasts well beyond your playing days. While I strive for success on the field, the real wins come from the relationships made and the growth of each player. With a direct connection to the AHS Football program, youth football players will be sure to get the best coaching, support, and development to prepare them for high school. Not to mention, it would be pretty cool to have a boatload of AHS Football players to come cheer on an AYFC game.

Academics & College:
American Youth Football (AYF), the governing body of AYFC, is the only national youth sports organization that requires its participants to maintain an academic standard and provide their report card at the beginning of each season. At the high school level, we mandate a study hall for players who are carrying a grade of C or worse in any course. Our commitment to academics is a reason why last fall, 95% of our team had a GPA of 3.0 or better. While I love football, I realize that sport is a vehicle to have fun and learn life lessons. Only 5% of high school athletes go on to play in college and a sliver of those play professionally. However, can football open doors for some of these kids? 100 percent. In the Class of 2026, we are projecting to have at least 5 kids who will play in college ranging from FBS to high academic DIII schools. If you are a young student-athlete looking to play a sport in college, football is an appealing route because there are more roster spots available compared to smaller roster sports.

Conclusion:
I want to thank Paul and Linda Cahill for running the Pop Warner program for years, Lamont Harris and Scott Cohen for running the middle school football program in more recent years, and the countless unnamed coaches who have devoted their time to football in Arlington. While I am directly connected to AHS Football and Arlington Youth Football Club, I write this letter simply as an Arlington kid who got his first pair of shoulder pads in 2008 and fell in love with the game. It’s opened many doors for me and my hope is that many more Arlington kids will have that same opportunity.

Again, this is a true community initiative, meant to bridge the gap between youth and high school football in town and hope you can check out our website and registration to learn more.

Go Ponders,

Frank Roche
Arlington High School ‘15
Head Football Coach