“I’m looking to better this team for not only football, but for life. We are completely starting over. We will build this program back up starting with you guys.” This is what Frank Gaffney said to his team at one of the pre-season football workouts. Gaffney’s desire in rebuilding the program will be the starting point for the turnaround of  Cardinal Football.

Frank Gaffney grew up playing football for Blue Mountain High School. He didn’t only play football, he also wrestled and played baseball for the Eagles. He excelled in all the sports he played. He didn’t stop playing football after high school. He played football for multiple colleges- Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and the later went to play football at Lebanon Valley College. Coach Gaffney said, sports prepared him for life, because it taught him to work for his goals and not give up. It gave him drive to work harder and try to be the best he could be.

One thing he wanted to do when he became apart this program was the desire to help kids prepare for life.  “I won’t only prepare you for football, but I will prepare you for life as well…nothing in life is easy, you have to work for it,” said Gaffney.

Chris Keating, senior Co-Captain and wide receiver/safety said, “This season with Gaffney as head coach will go better than most people think, because Gaffney has been making us work harder to get our goals that our team has.”  Keating is not the only player who thinks this season is gonna go well with Gaffney at the helm. Vinny LePre, senior Co-Captain and an offensive/defensive lineman said, “ This season is gonna be good because he is pushing a new winning mentality into the players, but also helping them do it the right way.” Gaffney seems to be doing everything right- the Cards, at the beginning of the season were 2-0.    Last weekend’s loss to Tri-Valley was a roadblock that the team plans to work through together as a Family.

Gaffney reiterated to his team, “You are only as strong as the weakest link.”  To be a good football team the Cardinals need to act as a family on and off the field.  They have begun to always have each other’s backs, because if they don’t work together as a family it will be harder to reach their goals for the remainder of the season.