By Abigail Merenda – Social Media Editor-in-Chief

Ryan Pearson is the Head Coach of the Jonathan Law football team. Social Media Editor-in-Chief Abigail Merenda interviewed Pearson about the football season. 

Abigail Merenda: What did your pre-season look like this year?

Head Coach Ryan Pearson: Our pre-pre-season was an all-in mindset after the disappointing end to our season last year. First thing we did was really step up our strength and conditioning, and we did that by partnering with The RACC gym in Milford, where our kids got top-end training by professionals at a top-end gym facility. We also hosted our 7v7 spring league. We attended the Grip It N’ Rip it 7v7 tournament at New Canaan with teams from all over Connecticut and New York and ended up finishing in the Elite 8. Our players also attended camp with teams such as New Canaan and Greenwich to get them competing against elite teams from Connecticut. We also prepared by giving them challenging opponents in scrimmages. Also, staff-wise, we have returning Defensive Coordinator Joe Devellis (former Westhill Head Coach), Linebacker Coach Jeff Queiroga (former Brian McMahon Head Coach), and Wide receiver/JV Head Coach Frankie Gaines, who is also the indoor track coach here at Law.  We also brought on four new coaches to our staff: Zach Festa, who coached at Staples High School and Pace University; John Marullo, a former Greenwich High School player and SCSU rugby coach; Matthew Ramos, a former defensive lineman for Bryant; and Connor Kelly, who played for Salve Regina.

AM: What are your expectations for this season?

RP: Expectations for this team are very high from the people outside of our locker room. In the media, in the school, at home, and around town. I always tell our kids, “Don’t eat the rat poison.” We don’t want to pay attention to the outside noise and just focus on what we need to do to get better every week and compete to the best of our ability. I expect to play fast, physical, and with relentless effort regardless of the outcome of the game and make the Black and Gold community proud.

AM: Who are the hardest teams you face this year that you hope to win against?

RP: That is hard to say now because it has only been 1 week, and some of the teams we play who had successful seasons last year may have lost a lot of returning starters. Now we play some really historically great programs this year, such as West Haven, Cheshire, North Haven, and Shelton, but we also play some teams coming off having a lot of success last season, like Northwest Catholic who was in the state championship last year, and Lyman Hall who went 7-3 last season and has a lot of returning starters. 

AM: What are some challenges your team has overcome so far? 

RP: The biggest challenge we faced as a team so far this season was definitely Arthur Rossi tearing his ACL before the season even began. Arthur was such a huge part of our defense, playing D-line and always having such a positive attitude and such a competitor. So, it is tough to lose someone like that and hard on everyone to see him lose a season on the field.

AM: Do you have a pregame superstition, and what is it?

RP: I do have some pregame “superstitions.” On gameday, on my drive in, I am listening to the Gospel, and when I arrive at the school I sit in my car and just read the Bible before I head into the school. I also always have to be wearing my Jesus is King hoodie on gameday. Some other things I do are grab an iced coffee from Dunkin on the way in, I refuse to do my opening play script until the morning of the game, and I don’t know if superstition or just habit, but it always has to be Mrs. Heenan in the main office who prints my playsheet for games. I’ve never allowed anyone else to do it.