Commitment. It’s a word thrown around a lot on the field, in the locker room, and at team meetings for the Lake Washington football team. It’s a word the Kangs are learning the meaning of, and finding they enjoy it.

In his second year as head coach, Steve Supple, has ingrained just what it takes to be a good program in the KingCo conference, and the players are taking that and running with it.

“I’ve got guys who are committed and understand that hard work is what’s going to lead to success in this league,” said Supple about his team. “That was something that was lacking here. I’ve got a core committed group of guys who understand that. They’ve been in the weight room in the winter, and the weight room in the spring, the team camp. They are going to reap the rewards of their work. They’ve been working hard. Because of that, we had some success last year, there’s a different attitude about football in this community. The numbers are much better, they understand that if you are going to be part of this and if we’re going to compete in this league we have to be committed to do the work necessary to compete. That changed they are committed to do that.”

Now players like seniors Mike Matthews, Jack Michels and Ben Pilska are revved up about the game, and the coaches.

“We’ve had good turnouts with lots of kids and we’re really looking forward to the season,” said Michels who plays defensive end and right tackle.

This year the team attended team camp, as well as off season work outs, which the players said helped them more than they knew.

“It’s the first year we’ve gone to camp since I’ve been here and now we’re light years ahead of where we were last year,” said Matthews.

Supple said that work has been a big part of why they are starting to see a change in football at Lake Washington, working up to where they want to be.

“It’s about going to camp and eating with each other and lifting together, running together and all those things that bring them together. Selflessness that I’m going to sacrifice for the better of the guys around me – that’s the difference,” said the coach. “We have a core group of guys who believe that. You want that to be systemic and apart of the culture and not something I have to preach.  I was telling them this, that you ability to be selfless and sacrifice for someone else takes you to a higher place because it’s not about you. This is not about you, trust me. This is about us and if you don’t understand that then you’re in the wrong place because there are no ‘me’ guys here. It’s gotta be about us.”

The team, which is playing for the second year in the KingCo 3A conference, will have to contend with some of the top teams in the state, but they are ready to get going.

“I told them realistically I want to win one more game than last year, that’s where we’re going to start. We won four so lets win five. The next goal is to beat someone who doesn’t expect to be beat. We want to walk into one of those stadiums Friday night and beat someone who doesn’t expect to be beat. After that we want to go to the playoffs. If we can do those things, then we’ll have success,” said Supple.

The players believe it to, and see the team doing the work to get them there.

“We’re seeing 100 percent commitment from everyone, and everyone being accountable,” said Matthews.

“Everyone wants to be here and work hard, we’re enjoying it and building team chemistry,” said Michels.

Their willingness to work hard and hit the field for two a day practices with the sun beating down is thanks to the belief they have in the coaches.

“This is one of the best coaching staffs I’ve ever had,” said Matthews. “It’s been a great thing.”

Compared to last year, when Supple was brand new and attempting to teach the team his way of playing the game, everyone is now on the same page after a years worth of work.

“We’re just trying to do what we do,” he said. “Last year at this time I was force feeding them 20 years of football in two weeks, but I don’t have to do that. We’re not installing a bunch of new stuff. We’re tweaking some stuff and we’re looking at some of the teams in the league, but nothing specific.”

One focus for the Kangs this fall is to really spread so they can effectively throw the ball.

“We’re a spread to run it team now,” said the coach. “Last year, because we couldn’t throw it, we couldn’t spread it. This year you’ll see more of a spread offense, a true spread.”

The Kangs will play it’s first home game on Friday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. against Garfield. On Sept. 9 the team will travel to Redmond for the first away game of the season.