Football has a lot to do with my faith and at St. Rita of Cascia High School we live by our Augustinian core values of Veritas (Truth), Unitas (Unity), and Caritas (Love). Being on the football team helps bring these core values out of me. To me, my football coaches are strong mentors both on and off of the field. Just like our parents, they help us and encourage us to work harder, study harder and attend Mass every Sunday. At St. Rita we have a tradition that has been going on for years and that is having a team Mass before every game. It helps us out very well because we hear the Gospel and receive the Eucharist and I know it seems like a regular Sunday Mass, but it’s very special. The priests’ homilies are not just relating to Christ, but also to football and it is something that just hits home and it’s a very special tradition. Over the past couple of years I have learned that football means so much to our faith. It’s not just a physical game, but it’s very emotional, exciting and especially very loving. I believe that being more faithful in God forms a strong team bond. On Friday nights when I step on that field wearing my school colors and having my school logo on my uniform, I feel thankful to God and my family. It’s something special and it’s also an honor. Before and after every game our team gets together and holds hands and say the “Our Father.” I know that God is always there at each and every moment in my life and I can always count on him. Hopkins is a senior at St. Rita of Cascia High School and a linebacker on the football team. He is also student government president. Send us your sports stuff The Catholic New World is looking for sports-related news and information from our Catholic schools to fill our new sports page. Send us your news bits and photos for consideration to Catholic New World Sports, 3525 Lake Park Ave., Chicago, IL 60653 or [email protected]. Photos should be in .jpg format and 350 dpi resolution. And then follow this sports coverage at www.catholicnewworld.com/sports/.