April 2, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

5 Question Friday with SJO Football Head Coach Shawn Skinner

How has the team improved since the first game?
I think the team has been as committed as you can as a group to be. They have put time in away from school/practice and we can’t ask a group of kids to do more than that. We’ve had kids battle the adversity of injuries and return and clearly the group cares and has had a desire to improve – really every week we’ve seen them since the summer

What is senior night like for you?
Senior night means your close to the end of your season. You reflect a bit on the players who you’ve watched really good from young teens to young men and the hopeful maturity and progress they’ve made and you hope the coaches and experiences they have had are a big part of that. I know our coaches don’t take for granted the opportunity we get in making a difference for these players who commit to playing this sport.

Why is this time of year so fun?
It’s crunch time. All the work you started in June up to now is kind of coming to a head and we are hopefully reaping the rewards. Football is not like any other sport. We’ve now had 70 “practices” and workouts from when we began in June – for a guaranteed 9 games. The young men who commit to that have made a significant choice to do something that can’t be done in any other manner. Now you get that chance to compete in a win or go home scenario. As a competitor you have to really love that!

During the season, what do you like to do in your free time, if you have any at all?
Not much – see my kids who are all spread out from St. Louis to Chicago to Aimes, Iowa – try to get away on a Sat or Sun to see them. But most of my time is consumed w film work and the natural requirements of teaching and coaching.

What is the best part about getting ready for a playoff game?
I’m a competitor and I love the opportunity to take our team and play. Every playoff games different but everyone is tough because in Illinois we make teams earn that right. I’m looking forward to seeing what our group of guys are going to do with the opportunity.

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