D3 Football: Bruce Leads Chapman Toward Division III History

Lessons Learned From D3 Football Adversity

Jason has really grown as a leader here. Our coaching staff meets with our captains every Monday morning during the season. Those conversations give us a chance to get to know each other beyond football.

Last year, we expected him to have a big season. Then he needed surgery. That’s difficult for any student-athlete, especially for someone who put so much into preparing.

What impressed me was how he handled it. He could’ve gone the other way. He could’ve been negative or withdrawn [from the program]. Instead, he showed up for his teammates and remained dialed in. He was still a captain. He was at our games, supporting the guys and finding ways to contribute even though he couldn’t play.

That’s not always easy. When you’re used to competing and suddenly can’t be out there, you have to find another way to help. Jason did that.

He worked hard in the offseason, got healthy and came back ready to lead again. His return against Linfield this year was special. I was getting teary-eyed watching him deliver that play on special teams.

It was a full-circle moment. It didn’t surprise me, though. Big-time players make big-time plays, and he’s one of our big-time [D3 football] players.

Chapman Football: A Player-Led Program

We want our student-athletes to have a voice. Our receivers and quarterbacks meet every day to watch film. Sometimes, after a meeting, Jason asks if he can speak to the group. I’ll step out and let him address his teammates.

That’s exactly what you want as a head coach: players who care about each other and the program.

Jason is selfless. He thinks about the guys around him, the people who came before him and the standard we want to uphold. He’s a great worker and communicator, and he cares about everybody.

Our focus this year has been to “win the day.” We have 35 seniors who have been through a lot together.

This group has reached the SCIAC championship game in each of their four seasons here, so they’ve experienced winning and coming up short. Now, they have another chance to make history. We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves. We talk about what we can do today, or even this hour, to get better for Saturday. Jason embodies that approach.

I’ve been at Chapman for 15 years, and I’m proud of seeing our student-athletes grow. The communication, work ethic and leadership they develop here carry into their lives after football. I have three children of my own, and I look at these student-athletes much the same way. They’re the ones putting in the work. Our job is to guide them.

Jason has become someone his teammates can always count on. That’s what I’ll remember about his time here, regardless of what happens in our rematch against CMS at Ernie Chapman Stadium.