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12/27/2023 12:48 PMThey say that home is where the heart is, and for Ryan Jones, that beat sounded true within the Branford football program. He was motivated and impassioned by his peers and mentors to perform at his highest level, both as a competitor and leader.
The Branford senior two-way lineman and team captain played baseball for a bit growing up, before moving to the gridiron later on in his childhood and running with the opportunity. After being part of a Hornets’ squad that made postseason play his junior year, Ryan helped protect the line for a Branford squad that finished above the .500 mark with a record of 7-3 this fall.
“I love the team aspect of football and being part of a team. For some of the guys on the team this year, I played together with them since third grade. I just felt at home with this team,” says Ryan. “One of the biggest things that has helped me is being coachable. It is one of the greatest things you can do when you can learn from your coaches and show off the skill.”
Pulling his weight on both ways of the pigskin, Ryan certainly burned the candle at both ends in terms of his natural ability and raw talent, though it was all worth the effort and might when it came to providing big openings for pass protection and the run game to be established.
“It was tough going from offense to defense; it is very demanding on the body,” says Ryan. “The best feeling, though, when playing on the line is making that key block, and then seeing it become part of a big play or big gain on offense.”
Within the constant whistles and downs of a given contest, errors by players are most certain to occur. Yet Ryan knows that forgetfulness can be a well-valued trait on the turf. He adds that no matter the bumps and bruises he endured out there, he made it a prominent point to keep his body sharp.
“In terms of my mental game, I have learned that even when you make a mistake, you just have to move on and focus on the next play,” Ryan says. “Physically, I just kept making sure to make sure my body got treated right.”
Ryan relished in being a role model for the future Hornets looking to emulate–serving as an influencer for the future campaigns of the program. He explains that he communicated his commitment to victory by displaying tough love, but balancing it with encouragement.
“Being a captain was great, and it was great being known as a guy the younger kids looked up to. It made me feel great,” says Ryan. “I wanted to win and, as a captain, I showed that by being hard on the other guys, but also teaching them. We had some good accomplishments, such as having good practices and good game plans. Everyone bought into what we were trying to do, which made it easy to get to that 7-3 record.”
It may sound overused, but Ryan recollects that football taught him the power and persistence and the full benefits it yields, which Branford saw in several matchups throughout his tenure. He detailed that no matter what deficit the scoreboard reads, or how much time is left on the game clock, a true collection of young men must never relent or surrender.
“It sounds cliche, but you have to never give up and you have to keep working hard,” says Ryan. “We had games where we were down big, but then we came back to win. Even in those games where we ended up losing, we kept fighting, which was a great thing to do.”
Branford football Head Coach John Limone will certainly lament Ryan not being part of the program anymore, but he definitely left an indelible impact upon it while he was there that will be felt for years to come.
“Ryan was in many ways the life blood of our team. He was able to connect with players, regardless of their grade or skill level. On the field, he played the right way and with relentless effort. He is strong, technically sound, and has never stopped working to improve. He is about as coachable as you could ever hope a kid could be,” says Limone. “Ryan is a great competitor, and wherever he ends up playing at the next level, they will be lucky to have him. He is a natural leader, and it will not surprise me to see him end up in a leadership role in whatever he chooses to pursue. Above all else, he is authentic. He is a kid who does what he believes to be right. We were fortunate to have him on our team the last three seasons, and we will miss him greatly in the seasons to come. That said, I think his influence will be felt, particularly with our linemen for years to come.”
Football, friends, and family all came together under one roof for Ryan for the last four fall sports seasons at Branford. He expresses a great deal of gratitude for the bonds formed and the lessons learned while amongst his Hornets’ hive of teammates and coaches.
“Branford football has been great for me,” says Ryan. “The coaching staff we had here were great, and they made me feel at home, and the players did, too. It was like one big family here for me, and I am forever grateful for my time as an athlete for Branford, and being on the football team.”