As Belmont Hill gears up for the 2024 football season, Coach Fucillo is focused on building a strong, cohesive team ready to compete week after week. With the departure of last year’s seniors, this season marks a new start for the program—one that is centered around emerging leaders and continued growth. These changing roles are further shown by the additions of a couple of new members to the coaching staff, including former Middlebury offensive lineman Mr. Messina, who also teaches science at BH.
The team battled St. Sebastian’s in the rain for their first game on September 21 and came away with a hard-fought 10-7 win. Then, in the second game of the season on September 28, the team blew out St. George’s in an emphatic 36-7 victory.
“We have a lot of talent across the board, but the most exciting part is seeing how the team gels together,” Coach Fucillo said. “We lost some key players from last year, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines, but I’m confident in the guys stepping up to fill those roles.” Coach Fucillo believes the team has the talent to compete at a high level, but he’s keeping the focus on a week-by-week mentality. “We don’t want to look too far ahead,” he said. “Every Saturday is a championship for us. It’s about executing, staying grounded, and embracing the process. Winning takes a lot of things to go right, and we need to focus on each day.”
The development of team culture is at the forefront of Coach Fucillo’s approach this season. He believes in having players take ownership of the culture in the locker room and on the field. “I want the team to run the culture, not me. Our captains and seniors are doing a great job keeping the tradition alive,” he said. “It’s about fostering an environment where players respect and trust one another, and they’ve really embraced that.” Coach Fucillo emphasized that leadership comes from every corner of the locker room. “A great team has leaders in all sorts of roles,” he said. “It’s not just the captains. Every player contributes to the culture, whether vocally or by example.” In regards to student support, Coach Fucillo simply implores The Loop to “just bring the juice.”
Finishing off with the line “It’s not just about wins and losses,” Coach Fucillo says, “It’s about building a program where every player leaves with something special—an experience they can carry with them for life.” He discussed how it’s not about how you play but the character and legacy you leave. Additionally, when asked about how he was feeling about the start of the season and whether he was dialed, ready to go out there, and win, running back Marcus Griffin ’26 had this to say: “In all things, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37).”
“There are no easy games in this league,” Coach Fucillo said. “We need to stay healthy and take it one game at a time.” With strong football programs throughout the league, Belmont Hill faces stiff competition each week. Preparation and health will be key factors in the team’s success.
