Boisterously taking to the field, football captains Ryan Edson ‘27, Cooper Waits ‘27, Cameron Greene ‘26, and Jacob Brown ‘26 clap out of their huddle, prepared to strategically yet powerfully direct their teammates into play positions. A few hours later, they’re chatting away. Achieving this balance of being a leader on the field and a friend off it has been one of the most testing yet fulfilling tasks for the captains.
“I’ve been on varsity for three years, and it’s definitely like being part of a brotherhood, the varsity team,” Greene said. “We hang out with these guys every single day for multiple hours, and we all know each other really well.”
Managing a team so large requires a collective of captains, each offering distinct contributions. Bringing diverse perspectives on leadership, teamwork, and football to the table, the four captains work collectively to help the team put their best foot forward, physically and emotionally.
“I feel like I grew a lot,” Brown said. “I learned a lot about diversity because we’ve had a lot of ups and downs throughout the year, but [that’s exactly] what helped me grow as a player and person.”
For Waits, this season marked his first experience as a captain, though his relationship with football began long before high school. After starting the sport in elementary school, stepping away, and returning in middle school, Waits’ journey reflects persistence and long-term commitment rather than instant success.
“This is my first time being a captain,” Waits said. “But I’ve been playing football since third grade, but I kind of stopped and started back in middle school, I would say like sixth grade or seventh grade.”
Stepping into leadership introduced new challenges, particularly the responsibility of keeping teammates focused and unified. For Waits, the transition from player to captain required awareness beyond his own performance.
“It was fun,” Waits said. “It definitely had challenges. Just making sure everyone’s on track. But it was fun. I liked it.”
As a junior and a relatively new varsity captain, Waits found himself navigating how to lead peers while still growing into the role himself. That adjustment, he said, came naturally over time.
“It was definitely different trying to help my teammates [while] being in that leadership position,” Waits said. “But I feel like I adjusted to it well.”
Beyond competition, football holds emotional and developmental significance for Waits. The program has become a space for growth, connection, and memory-making, something he expects to carry long after graduation.
“I feel like it’s more than just a game,” Waits said. “I make memories [and] learn lessons. I feel like it’s good for development.”
That sense of meaning is deeply tied to the relationships built through Westwood football, which Waits described as lasting far beyond the season.
“It’s kind of just building relationships,” Waits said. “I’m going to remember this for probably the rest of my life.”
Looking ahead, Waits’ goals reflect both ambition and humility, focusing not just on outcomes, but on how he shows up for others.
“I want to make playoffs,” Waits said. “But I just want to be the best teammate I can be [and] the best leader I can be.”
That mindset is shared by senior captain Greene, who views leadership as both vision-driven and demanding. Having spent three years on varsity, Greene emphasized that captains must be willing to challenge teammates when necessary.
“To be a captain, you gotta be strong-minded,” Greene said. “Being willing to push people with you and pull people with you in case they don’t want to come with you.”
For Greene, leadership means holding the team to a standard, even when it is uncomfortable. While friendships define the team off the field, accountability defines it on the field.
“Off the field, you can be really good friends,” Greene said. “But on the field, you have to put the team first over everything.”
As a senior, Greene acknowledged that the finality of the season added emotional weight to his leadership. While the ending was difficult, the experience shaped his confidence and identity. Still, Greene hopes the mark he leaves is motivational rather than statistical.
For Brown, leadership centered on inclusion and respect. In his first year as captain, Brown noticed a shift in how teammates interacted with him, built on trust and accountability.
“I felt more like a leader on the team,” Brown said. “I feel like they trusted me more, and I feel like we had a deeper relationship trusting each other.”
Brown described football as a sport that demands discipline and resilience, qualities he believes extend into life beyond athletics.
“[Football to me] means hard work and dedication,” Brown said. “Not everybody can do that sport.”
As a senior, the knowledge that this season was his last changed how he approached every moment on the field.
“I never let myself give up,” Brown said. “I treated every play like it was my last play.”
More than wins or losses, Brown hopes his legacy is defined by how he treated others across all levels of the program.
“I want to be remembered as being able to bring everybody in,” Brown said. “No matter where you’re at. I just wanted to be a leader for everybody.”
While Brown considers how he hopes to leave the program, Edson reflects on his past with the team and how it has shaped him in turn. A varsity player since his freshman year, Edson has watched the program evolve and has grown alongside it.
“[Being a captain] is a big responsibility,” Edson said. “It’s a big honor that your coaches trust you to be an extension of them.”
Edson describes football as a reflection of life, shaped by adversity and growth. Injuries, competition, and earned opportunities all contributed to lessons that extend beyond the sport.
“I’ve faced a lot of adversity throughout my career,” Edson said. “So being able to overcome [those challenges] taught me lessons far beyond football.”
As a leader, Edson emphasized example over authority. His approach as captain centers on doing the right thing, even when it is difficult.
“I try to be very vocal,” Edson said. “Most of all, I try to make sure I’m always doing the right thing.”
Serving as a liaison between players and coaches, Edson values communication and trust, ensuring that concerns are addressed while maintaining unity amongst the team.
“We’re the guys that are trusted to relate it to the coaches,” Edson said. “And just bring up any changes that need to be made.”
Ultimately, Edson hopes his impact is measured not by recognition, but by improvement.
“[I’d] just like to leave the place better than I found it,” Edson said.
Together, the four captains represent different paths, personalities, and years, yet share a common commitment to accountability and growth as an athlete. While the season ends, the leadership they modeled continues to shape the program they leave behind.
“I’ve gotten a lot of friends from joining the team and talked to a lot of different guys which has just given me a whole lot more confidence on everything,” Greene said. “I just hope that [that confidence] can allow me and my name to inspire people and make everyone work a little bit harder towards their goals.”
