PUSHING THEIR LIMITS: The Legacy Charter Eagles fly together

After compiling a 4-3 record in the regular season, the Legacy Charter football team is ready to take that success into the playoffs this week.

“They’ve come a long way,” head football coach Ryan Locuson said of the 2022 Eagles. “I think just setting weekly goals has been helpful — setting the goal to get better each week there’s always growth. Being stagnant is not healthy, so we’ve (been) striving to be better each week.”

Senior leadership also contributed to the team.

Linebacker and running back Kyle Dorcy, 17, has been an Eagle for his four years in high school and given his experience on the field. This year, he has shared the knowledge he has of the game with the younger players.

“I taught half of them everything this season,” he said. “It’s been kind of a (challenge) a little bit, because I’m coaching and playing at the same time. But I’m a leader, so that’s what I’ve got to do.”

“I think our leadership team that we have as players has been absolutely amazing,” Locuson said. “They’ve taken what they know, and they’ve taught younger guys. They’ve really taken on that leadership role, because of a last-minute coaching change that takes on a lot of responsibility for them, as well.”

Positive reinforcement and a positive mind also have provided the Eagles with room to see adversity in a positive light.

“When we face adversity … (we) take it head on and take 20 minutes to dwell on things that are bad and move on to the next game,” Locuson said. “In game-time situations, we all make mistakes, but we have to put that in the past, because there’s no changing it at (that) point. I think that’s something that I felt I brought and something that’s made an impact on this team.

“We often dwell on things that don’t go well, but when we highlight the things that are going well and we highlight the players that are doing well, it goes a long way,” Locuson said.

This year is Locuson’s first as a head coach.

“The transition was difficult at the beginning, because going from a position coach to a head coach position, the responsibility is very different,” he said. “But the support staff that we were able to put together last minute has been amazing. We’ve been able to take on different responsibilities and have been able to help each other, and I have an amazing athletic director (who) has been extremely supportive and helped me with the transition.”

The Eagles lost 20 seniors last year, and this year they, will lose nine more. From 41 players to 32, the team is small and young in experience.

“(There’s been) a lot of mentorship and a lot of just admitting when you don’t know how to do something and learning how to do it,” Locuson said. “That’s been a huge impact on the team this year, and having a drive to be the best you can, that goes a long way.”

Senior defensive end Eli Lane, 17, only has been playing for the Eagles two years, but he has learned a lot in such a short period of time.

“I show up to every practice; I’m here every day,” he said. “I haven’t missed a practice this year. I’m going to make sure I don’t. And I think that’s a big part of it. I haven’t played football for a long time, so obviously, I’m not the best. But I’m going to show up, and I’m going to be there and work hard, so people know what they are going to get out of me.”

As one of the smallest schools in Orange County, Legacy players have the advantage to be able to form deep connections and relationships with one another as they study together beginning in elementary school.

“That goes a long way — especially when it comes to trust on the football field,” Locuson said. “We’ve got a tight group of guys … who knows what makes each other tick, and that’s extremely helpful when it comes to football.”

And when that tight-knit group of guys steps out onto the field, they have the same mindset.

“We play with our heart, we play going 100%, we fly around and we have fun,” Locuson said.