Interview with Senior Joe Cassidy

About the Author Ella Hippel

I interviewed Joe Cassidy about his mindset before a game, blocking someone into a trash can, and more.

Ella: How long have you been playing football and in what ways has it influenced your life?

Joe: I’ve been playing football for around ten years and a couple years I’ve played on multiple teams at the same time. It’s influenced pretty much my whole life. I’ve met a ton of good coaches; I’ve only had a couple of bad coaches which is a good thing, I got blessed with that. The way I see football is it’s kind of a way to grow for men, even for kids, like when I was a kid I started in fourth grade and just kind of grew from there. I learned a lot. You learn like how to push yourself, how to be disciplined, how if you want something you actually have to work to get it. It just kinda grows you to be more mature, like to be able to handle yourself. Like if some guy’s being a jerk how to be above that in a way, just be more mature and handle it better instead of lashing out at him.

Ella: What is the best play you’ve ever made?

Joe: The best play I’ve made on TCW..I don’t remember all of the other plays but I think my most memorable play was this year in Florida when I went out as a running back and I blocked a dude into the sideline into a trash can. Or another one was last year I think there was a running back trying to run up the middle and I stuffed him completely, just made him fall backwards. So yeah.

(You can find the play here at the 1:54 mark. Watch the top of the screen for the Full Back in Motion. http://www.hudl.com/v/2GUM2f)

Ella: If you could play any other position, what would it be and why?

Joe: Well I already play offensive line, defensive line, and power back so I’m pretty happy where I am, but if I was a different kind of person I would probably want to play linebacker. Like if I was built different. Cause you can kind of just get in a full sprint and you can just destroy somebody and let all the lineman do the work for you. So yeah, that’d probably be it.

Ella: Do you have a pregame playlist and if so, what’s on it?

Joe: I listen to music a lot but never before football games. But if I were to it would be a lot of rock. A lot of rock. It’s kind of weird, I never get hype, ever. Like if I make a play I’ll be like, “Yeah let’s go!” and get everyone else hyped, kinda to get the ball rolling and get involved but I’m not one to hype myself up before a game. I’m just kind of like, all right, I’m gonna go, do my job as best I can, beat the guy in front of me and then I’m going to go home. But obviously I’m going to play for TCW, you know, represent, so.

Ella: What are you looking forward to most this season?

Joe: I’m looking forward to seeing some people who are playing for the first time. I’m excited cause I remember when I first started playing football, I was kind of freaking out. Actually, when I hit people for the first time in football I would cry because I thought they were trying to hurt me. Yeah, I would freak out. But I’m excited to see some of these people experience something I experienced a long time ago. It’s their first time so I want to be able to help them learn and make them enjoy it. Like make them not just be good at football but enjoy it so they’ll want to play it and they’ll want to teach other people how to play it. Because when I was learning football, people showed me how to play and how to have fun. So I’m excited this year to see a bunch of new guys come in and a bunch of old guys as well, just have everybody get involved with violence, speed, and just kinda do their thing like a well oiled machine.

Ella: After a game, where are you going out to eat and what are you ordering?

Joe: Where do we go out to eat.. Wherever is closest. Mostly Whataburger I’d say. Or if there’s a game in this area I guess people usually go to like a barbecue place. If we went to a barbecue place I’d get brisket. Definitely brisket.

Ella: What are your goals for spring ball?

Joe: To get back in better shape after being sick because I came back late. And it’s to help teach people not just to be good at football but to, like I said before, enjoy it. There’s no point in playing it if it’s not fun. Just kinda learn to love the sport. And the people who are struggling, I’m excited to help teach them. I can always learn more. I could be way better than I am and I will be. Seeing the people learn, get a start, get a taste for it, that’s what I’m excited for. To make people excited so they work over the summer and when they come back to fall ball then we’re ten times better than what we were. So yeah.