Just one day into the preseason for Brockton High School football, it’s clear that first-year head coach Jailson Silva is already having a major impact on his players.
“Great coach. I love coach Silva. I’d do anything for coach Silva,” said senior wide receiver and linebacker Shiymir Williams following the team’s first day of tryouts Friday afternoon.
Though Silva is in his first year at the helm of the program, it’s one he has been involved with for the last decade, working with the freshman and junior varsity teams for the first seven years and now enters his third year with the varsity team. Silva also spent two years coaching youth football in the area.
Many of the seniors on the team know Silva well as he’s seen them progress as players through high school. But the bond between the coach and players goes back even further.
Senior guard Devan De Veiga said that Silva often attended their games in middle school, and it seems clear that De Veiga and his teammates share the sentiment of Williams.
“We have his back, he has our back,” said De Veiga.
With a senior-heavy roster this season, Silva said he expects big leadership roles from his seniors, especially during tryouts and early practices with several young newcomers and returners.
“We told all the seniors ‘This is your season. You guys dictate what happens with this roster. You’re expected to be leaders, motivators, and help the younger guys,” Silva said. “I think they’re going to take on that role and excel this year.”
That leadership culture seems to have already taken off with some of the players. Senior guard Nathan Berthony said that he hopes to create a trickledown effect with the underclassmen, teaching them how to be leaders and motivators so that they can continue passing the torch.
“With the leadership that we’re going to give out this year, it can contribute to all the other guys next year, so that they can have that leadership to lead the team once we leave,” Berthony said.
Silva works as a behavior interventionist at the high school, helping students who may struggle with various aspects of school, from academics to their social lives. In a similar role as a coach of dozens of student-athletes, Silva helps his players be the best they can be on the gridiron but is also there for them as they navigate life.
“That’s very important, having a coach you can trust and you know that he only wants what’s best for you and he is going to set you up in positions that are going to make you the best person for yourself,” Williams said.
His teammates strongly agreed, shouting out multiple areas that their coach has been there for them, from practice, to academics, and even preparing for college.
“Building that nice relationship with him, especially as we came into high school, we know that he has our back,” said junior safety and wide receiver Jarred Mighty. “We know that the only thing he wants for us is the best.”
They said it
Players and coaches alike were amped to be back on the field Friday morning as the first day of tryouts began.
“The kids came out with a new sense of energy, the seniors are ready to lead the young guys,” Silva said. “They’re bought in, they’re excited, they can’t wait to unravel whatever the roster is going to be.”
75 students came out for the first day of tryouts. Silva said that was a good number but is a bit less than what the team normally looks for each season. Still, he added that all players who attended were there throughout the offseason, and day one got the season off to a good start.
“Overall, I think the mentality, the atmosphere was great today. No complaining, no issues, just hard work,” Silva said.
Though it’s early, the players have their eyes on some lofty expectations for the season. Ones that they feel are very much attainable, with an experienced roster mixed with some young talent.
“It feels great. I love the energy of the team. We’re going to make a good run this year,” Mighty said.
Taking it a step further, his senior teammates all said the same thing when talking about goals for the team this year:
“Go to Gillette and win the chip.”
On the offensive side of the ball, that will start with establishing a strong run game, one of Silva’s goals heading into the season. It’s an experienced and physical line up front, with three seniors, a junior, and a sophomore. Silva said that most of them are 6’1” and 290 pounds and up, which should allow the line to be physical and dominant up front, move defenses and create space for runners.
One of those players running behind that line will be senior Luke Turco, who Silva said is a “sleeper” candidate this year and will also see action at strong safety. The offense will also have a veteran presence out wide with junior Jarred Mighty and seniors Jayden Wootn, and Jaden Lopes Ribeiro. All three will also play in the secondary on defense.
“There’s a lot of weapons out here. It’s just a matter of getting them to understand what we’re trying to do,” Silva said. “The goal is to get them the ball as much as we can.”
