Derek Redd: Lely football -- a reversal of fortune

Granted, they didn't play as well as they wanted in a 26-6 loss to Dunbar. But the Trojans could say something the Tigers couldn't.

When the final horn sounds this Friday, Dunbar's season is over.

Lely's isn't.

The Trojans -- a team that won one game over the previous two seasons, a team that has suffered through bad breaks, blowouts and three head coaches in two years -- are back in the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

And a lot of it has to do with that third head coach in two years, a young, energetic man who taught a bunch of football players who went winless last year how to win again.

The last two seasons had not been kind to the Trojans. They lost every game save one and lost most of them badly. The athletes were there. The Trojans had speed and strength. They just didn't have the ability to put it together with any success.

Former coach Merv Ward resigned three games into the 2002 season and gave way to interim coach Pete Seitz, who was not retained at the end of the season.

Then came Chris Metzger.

The 32-year-old with an endless reserve of energy sought to change the Trojans' fortunes and their attitude. He started in the classroom and brought up the team's grades.

He moved to the practice field and showed the players the desire necessary to win again.

When his players ran sprints, he'd sprint with them. As they ran their warm-ups and cool-downs, he'd shout words of encouragement through a bullhorn.

He had their attention and he had their respect. When he asked a question, the response was a loud, "Yes, sir!"

His energy started to rub off on his players. Their 33-6 win over Cypress Lake was their first win in more than a year. Their 27-3 win over Mariner showed everyone they could play with Southwest Florida's better teams.

Metzger knew it wouldn't be easy, but he believed in his players. And his players started believing they could win.

The crowning moment came when Lely beat district rivals Barron Collier and Gulf Coast in consecutive weeks. Those were Lely's first district wins since they beat Gulf Coast in 2001. No one expected the Trojans to win those games, but the Trojans weren't listening.

Now the Lely football team is at a level most thought would take it years to reach. The team isn't the only group believing in Metzger's philosophy. The entire school has caught on.

Metzger often mentions how much help his staff has been in turning around the team's fortunes. He mentions how supportive the school has been, how teachers notice the change in the players' demeanor and how the students are cheering on Lely football again.

But the story isn't over yet. The postseason is coming and the Trojans are a part of it for the first time in a long time. Are they excited?

You better believe it.

You can e-mail staff writer Derek Redd at dsredd@naplesnews.com.