The sweet sounds of football have a new home in Southwest Florida.
Babcock Ranch High School opened for the first time in August 2022. Just two years after opening its doors, the Trailblazers have a brand-new high school football team.
"It's an honor," lineman Jameson Habing said.
"It really means something special," linebacker Connor Hunt added.
“It’s been a long time, been a long journey, but it’s been a lot of fun this year," head coach Andy Habing said.
Football is one of 13 sports Babcock Ranch is offering in its second year. The community support has been overwhelming and the interest within the school is strong too. The Trailblazers have 50 players on their roster, 25 of which suit up for varsity games and the rest play on junior varsity.
“I heard we were going to have a program here and I was really excited and decided to put in the work and play," Hunt, who is just a freshman, said.
For many of the players, including Hunt, this is the first time they've ever picked up a football and played competitively. Coach Habing says only five players in the whole program have played tackle football prior, and only three of his seniors.
"It’s been a learning process," Habing said. "It’s been a learning process for the coaches as well.”
With so many new players, the coaches have stripped the game down to the basics. They are focusing on the fundamentals, which coach Habing says starts with tackling and blocking. A good portion of Babcock's practices are dedicated to working on these things.
As a new program, Babcock Ranch decided to start playing an eight-man team, as opposed to the normal 11-man version. It is a good way to start as it's less physical and more tailored towards beginners.
“It definitely feels more open," Jameson Habing said. "The offense feels more open, and the defense feels more open.”
Most high schools start with eight-man before making the switch to 11-man, which the Trailblazers intend to do in the next two years.
“We want to do that as soon as we can and as soon as we can do it in a safe manner," coach Habing said.
The Trailblazers just hosted their first-ever home game on Friday night at their brand-new William and Mary Ann Smith Sports Complex. Nearly 2,000 fans packed the stands and lined up chairs around the field. Coach Habing described it as a fairytale. With the excited crowd, Babcock Ranch gave the fans a reason to cheer. The Trailblazers stormed back in the second half to beat Oasis Christian 28-20.
“A lot of emotions between the fans and even the players, coaches and everybody that was there," wide receiver Brodie Duncan said. "It was definitely special.”
That was just the first of many special moments for these Trailblazers, who are living up to their name and blazing a new trail.
“The legacy that we want to leave is that we started football here, but we started it the right way and that we’ve set a template up for the kids and the teams that are going to follow," Coach Habing said. "I’m excited for these guys to be the people that the next generation talk about.”
Babcock Ranch plays four more games this season. Next up, the Trailblazers go on the road to take on their rival, Donahue Catholic. They then finish the season with three straight home games.