Blake JV Football’s Undefeated Success: A Conversation with Coach Mason

Blake’s JV Football team has had phenomenal success over the last few seasons. In 2023, Blake football alum, Mr. Ty Mason (who notably went on to play Division 1 football at Temple University), was announced as JV football’s new head coach. Since then, the team has had 3 back-to-back undefeated seasons. Giselle and David from The Blake Beat sat down with Coach Mason to ask a few questions about his preparation strategies for JV football players, off-season recruitment efforts, and the “Blake Football Mentality.”

In the off-season, the Blake football team takes pride in its preparation and community outreach. Coach Mason and Varsity Head Coach Mr. Marshall actively reach out to middle and even elementary schools to raise awareness of the football program. “We let people know that Blake football is around and a great place to be. Word of mouth is essential.” Getting students involved and registered has been key to maintaining success. 

Coach Mason prepares young players for high school football through a comprehensive approach. “We kind of plant seeds of what they’re going to expect on varsity. We get them in the film room and the weight room.” Coach Mason emphasizes understanding football as an intellectual sport, not just a physical one. To maintain winning form and mentality, Coach Mason reiterates the importance of concentration and sportsmanship.

Focusing on self-improvement, the biggest thing Coach Mason tells players is: “Regardless of who we play, who we go up against, we have to focus on being the best version of ourselves.” Playing “Blake football” is key; always remembering team goals and aspirations. 

Coach Mason has always affirmed sportsmanship over pure winning. “I have some really good-hearted kids. They may be goofy,” he jokes, “but they tend to know better for the most part.” The Blake football program prides itself on demonstrating respect for others, regardless of the outcome.  This ensures that even when winning by large margins, the team remains grounded, focused, and committed to the Blake football way of life.

When asked about the transition from being an assistant coach to being the JV head coach, Coach Mason mentioned how he was “always prepared…something that I knew was in the cards.” Coach Mason has cemented his ideology of Blake Football to his players. When asked about how he achieved his playstyle on the team, he stated, “Because I went to Blake High School and I went to play D1 sports, a lot of young kids believe in what I have to say.” Noting that, “the preparation was more mental, trying to get myself to believe that I can get a group of 14-year-olds to do what I say.” When speaking to Coach Mason about football, it is easy to tell that he loves what he does, and the strength of that love is for the game. 

The main goal of the JV football program moving forward is to remain sustainable excellence. The program aims to ensure that each new group of players understands the program’s history and potential. Coach Mason stated that when he first came to Blake in 2017, the JV and varsity teams were not performing at the level they are now.  “We want to make sure that every group understands where we started, because once we understand that, when we see our growth…you never want to go down from that.”

Thank you so much for sitting down with The Blake Beat, Mr. Mason! Congratulations on everything you’ve done for Blake Football. Wishing you the best moving forward!