HSFT Stop #6: Noxapater
At Noxapater, the message has been clear since day one: discipline.
For the Tigers, it’s more than a word on a t-shirt. It’s the standard new head coach Michael Kelly is trying to establish as he takes over a program that finished 5-6 last season. But for Kelly, the lessons go far beyond Friday nights.
“We think discipline takes you anywhere in life,” Kelly said. “Without it, you’re not going to be successful. This is a life lesson game that’s being taught. We have to use sports here at Noxapater to teach these young men and young ladies how to live, how to make really good choices and be responsible human beings once they leave our facilities. I’m really big on that because I want these young men to grow up to be good husbands and good fathers. To do that, you’ve got to be disciplined. The bills are going to come in. Adversity is going to come. How do you deal with those things? If we can do that in a disciplined, structured way, hopefully more times than not on the football field, we’ll give ourselves a chance to be successful.”
Kelly’s message has already been embraced by the players this summer.
For receiver Jytavius Riddle, discipline is the difference between winning and losing. After six losses a season ago, the Tigers are hoping the little things lead to much bigger results.
“It means a lot because if you’re not disciplined, it doesn’t work out,” Riddle said. “If you’re not disciplined, you don’t win. We went 5-6. Hopefully we do better than we did last year.”
Those lessons have continued throughout the offseason. Running back Quentavius Stephens says the Tigers have learned talent alone isn’t enough and that success takes everyone moving in the same direction.
“We learned as a team that you’ve got to be together to win this game,” Stephens said. “It takes a team to win, and in the end we all want to get it done. We believe in ourselves, and this year we believe in the work that we’re putting in.”
And whether it’s avoiding penalties or responding to adversity, Stephens believes discipline shows up in everything you do.
“Discipline means always staying on your heels, not jumping offsides, no curse words and always getting back up to go again,” Stephens said. “Discipline really shows the person you are. You’ve got to be the same person you want to be in real life and on the field.”
Kelly knows he’s stepping into a place where football matters. From the state championship banners hanging on the walls to the expectations of the community, the new head coach understands what the Tigers mean to Noxapater.
“This is a football county,” Kelly said. “You can see the state championship banners in this building. This community knows what that’s like, and we’re ready to give them a show to watch on Friday nights. We want to shut this place down and win a lot of football games.”
With a new coach, a new culture and a new chapter for Tiger football, Noxapater will open the 2026 season on Sept. 4 against Hamilton.
