A Day in the Life of Southern Hills Football Players: More Than a Team, a Brotherhood

Early mornings, long days, and Friday night lights. For Southern Hills football players, the season was about more than what happened on the field. It was about trust, teamwork and the friendships that last long after the final whistle.

For LaFayette junior Jerod Olrich and senior Dominick Albro being part of the combined Southern Hills football team has meant stepping outside their usual school communities, meeting new teammates, and becoming part of something bigger than themselves.

The team brings together student-athletes from LaFayette, Tully, and Fabius, creating a unique experience built on a shared love of football and a common goal. Practices take place in Tully, and the players quickly learn that success depends on more than individual talent. It takes commitment, communication, and a whole lot of trust.

“You have to have a lot of trust in your teammates,” Olrich said.

For Jerod football offers something he believes is different from other sports.

“It’s like a brotherhood. It creates a different kind of connection and feeling than other sports,” he said.

That connection is built through the daily grind of the season. With school starting at 7:30 a.m., the players balance their academic responsibilities with the demands of being part of a varsity football program. Their days include school, travel, practices, and returning home around 6:30 p.m.

It's a long day, but for these players, it's worth it.

For Dominick, the best part of football comes down to the people beside him on the field.

“The feeling, being able to go out on the field and play with my boys. I love football. There’s just no other feeling like it,” Albro said.

That sense of connection has been one of the biggest rewards of playing for Southern Hills. 

The Southern Hills football team finished the season with a 4–4 record in Class C, but the impact of the season extends beyond the scoreboard. 

Both Jerod and Dominick will trade the football field for wrestling mats this winter bringing the same dedication and competitive spirit to another sport.

Jerod is already making waves, earning the No. 1 preliminary ranking in New York state for his weight class.

The Southern Hills experience is a reminder of what high school athletics can accomplish. When students from different schools come together, they build more than a roster. They build relationships, strengthen their communities and discover the value of being part of a team.