The York Football Program made history this year, progressing to the Class 8A State Championship game at Illinois State University. After defeating Naperville Central in the semifinal game, the Dukes became the first team in program history to make it to the championship. The team went on to face Loyola Academy, ending the season as State Runner-ups after a hard fought battle. While this season ended with more success than years prior, the team dynamic is years in the making.
After two consecutive seasons of making it to the semifinals, members of the team knew they were ready to take it all the way. Still, they understood that making it to the Hancock Stadium would not be automatic.
“The team goal was to make it as far as we could, but the message was to go further than we ever had before,” senior Aidan Link said. “Two years in a row, you go to the semifinals and you just feel like you are getting closer and closer to that state championship. I think that was our goal. To make it to the state championship.”
Turning things around would require a new sense of urgency on the field, but also, a stronger sense of community off. Head Coach Don Gelsomino tries to ensure that this growth is at the forefront of every player’s mind.
“Coach Gelso’s favorite quote is ‘York vs. York,’” senior Bruno Massel said. “If we play our best, we play our game, then no one can beat us. His motto and everything he’s brought to the table has been really great.”
Prioritizing an environment where playing to your full potential is independent from what the opposing team does is as much a mindset as it is a training focus. Moving past losses as a unit and focussing on what they need to improve on, is essential to maintaining momentum throughout the season.
“I think the biggest part that made us so good this year is how close we are as a group and how much perseverance we had,” Link said. “We lost two games in the regular season, and a lot of teams would kind of get down about that and not really believe in themselves. I think that perseverance is what sets us apart.”
A big part of moving past losses is making sure that the team keeps everything in perspective. It is important that players understand their mistakes are a valuable point of reflection, but one minor slip-up does not define a team. Not getting too caught up in the shortcomings of a single game is a philosophy that the team had to hone in on this season.
“Reacting to losses, especially when you’re used to winning a lot of games, is crucial,” Gelsomino said. “Being able to look at the loss, what went wrong, and then correct those mistakes instead of pointing fingers at what might have happened.”
With a 7-2 record during the regular season, the team was under a level of scrutiny. There were a number of moments throughout the season where the team was counted out for a long postseason run. However, none of these doubts penetrated the team.
“Not a lot of people at the start of the season believed that we were going to make the State Championship,” senior Jimmy Connors said. “We always believed.”
When playoffs rolled around, the team felt like a switch had been flipped. While the players always worked to achieve their full potential in the regular season, the atmosphere of the playoffs pushed them to a new level.
“Once we got to the playoffs, people were worried about Edwardsville,” Massel said. “They are a good team. Once we beat the
m, I think people started realizing that we had a good chance at state. The sky was the limit. We unlocked our full potential and got to where we needed to be.”The playoffs are an especially high-stakes time because players are not just competing for a trophy, they are chasing one last chance to get on the field. Players weren’t just out for a higher ranking; they were fighting for one more team dinner, one more Monday watching film, and one more chance to represent Elmhurst at the state level.
“Every extra week that you have to practice you’re just so grateful for,” Connors said. “You really grow to love your teammates. You spend so much time with them. It’s definitely special to be a part of that.”
Working for something bigger than themselves, the chance to continue playing with one another, is a motivating factor that cannot be trained. Instead, this camaraderie is developed over years of time spent together off the field. One way this is accomplished is by having team experiences in the offseason to keep players connected.
“In the offseason we have our lifting and our training, but we also have teams that compete against each other for points,” Gelsomino said. “They do things like going to sports games, going out to dinner, and doing community service events. That creates a nice bond within them and some competition.”
In the off season, players across the program are drafted by eight juniors, soon to be seniors, into teams that compete for a prize. The teams receive points by getting food together, doing activities, and going to support other York teams. Last year’s winning team, led by Connors, attended girls soccer matches, went to the golfing range, and had a number of Chipotle and Dairy Queen outings.
“Our off-season teams really build team camaraderie,” Massel said. “We draft different teams from different grade levels and guys will get to know each other from the freshman to the varsity level. It makes us a better community.”
Teammates are able to form relationships with players on all levels. During the season, this bonding takes place within the different position groups.
“Off the field, I know a lot of the groups hang out,” Link said. “On Tuesdays the defensive line goes out and they have dinner together. My position group, the defensive backs, when we had games on Saturdays for the playoffs, in the morning we would go and get breakfast together on game day.”
The friendships formed in practice are strengthened outside of the program. Link feels as though these connections were the factor that led to the team’s success. Football is just as much a mental game as it is a physical one. Caring about one another when the pads and helmets are off gives everyone something deeper to fight for on game day.
“I feel like this year’s team always had high morale,” Link said. “No matter where we are, we’re a team that is always laughing and joking around. I feel like we made it to the state championship with the power of friendship.”
In addition to camaraderie within the team, players are motivated by the support from Elmhurst. The excitement felt within the team extends to the larger community.
“Something unique about the York Football Program is our sense of community,” Connors said. “All the York students and parents, everybody that supports us, they’re all very helpful. It is really a pleasure to have them in the stands and sending messages on social media. I think that’s what sets York apart.”
Elmhurst CUSD 205 is unique in that there is one high school for everyone in the town. This means that all residents can feel like the school is an extension of the community as a whole. Feeling as though a win for the team is a win for Elmhurst, gives the team 40,000 more people to fight for.
“Seeing the positive impact throughout the community, people come out, they talk to you, they know the players names, it makes you want to work a little bit harder,” Gelsomino said. “You know so many people are watching and enjoying your success.”
Despite the two hour commute and the cold weather, the stands were packed at the state championship, and the send-off celebration drew in people across the whole town.
“Our stands are packed,” Gelsomino said. “You can go around town and people notice you. It makes you feel really good to see that you’re not only making an impact on these players. It’s hard not to want to fight for that.”
The team received a lot of support this season, and players have continued developing connections with their teammates and coaches. Offseason work for the 2025 season is starting soon, and the coaches look forward to continuing this momentum for years to come.
“It was an incredible season and journey,” Gelsomino said. “I think we’ve built something really nice here at York where we are starting to see some consistency. Yes that goes to a coaching side of the plan that was made, but it also goes to the players, the building, that community who have also bought in. Let’s keep doing it and growing bigger. We don’t have to stop.”
