Air Force football team happy to spend the holiday together

Air Force Academy’s cadets scattered across the country this week, but for the first time in a few years, the football team had to stay put.

In Troy Calhoun’s first four years, Thanksgiving coincided with an off week. This year, the Falcons play a couple of days after Thanksgiving, in a game that will decide if they will go to a bowl this season. Air Force needs to beat Colorado State on Saturday to become bowl eligible.

So the players stay behind – and stay at a hotel Thursday night, because like every other cadet they’re not allowed to stay at the academy during leave – but that is not the worst scenario. Some parents stayed behind after Senior Day last week and will be a part of a team Thanksgiving dinner for the players (though the parents will have to pay for their own meals, to keep in line with NCAA rules). And for those not with their biological family on the holiday, being with their teammates is pretty nice.

“I’m sure we all would have liked to been home, but this is the next best thing, to be with your brothers and get to cherish that together,” senior linebacker Ken Lamendola said.

This team won’t be together much longer. Either the season is over this weekend, or the Falcons win and buy another month together. That makes the week a bit special, as well. The Falcons had a similar situation last year, when they spent Christmas together in Shreveport, La., before the Independence Bowl.

“Probably for the freshmen it’s the worst, because it’s the first chance to go home in a while,” senior linebacker Brady Amack said. “But I’d rather be playing football.”

This week is a bit unusual for Air Force, and not just because of the holiday. The first couple of days of the week were spent on military training. The players said being on a different schedule won’t affect their focus, and the extra time will help this week to prepare for what they consider a playoff game.

“We can focus on football, we don’t have to wake up early for military training or school,” Lamendola said. “It’s all football, so it couldn’t work out better.”

“We have time to get more film in, rest up our bodies, and that will help a lot,” Amack said.

The players at Colorado State are in a similar situation, with no class this week. Rams coach Steve Fairchild said his team would squeeze in an extra practice this week. He said the team would practice early Thanksgiving and then the players would be able to go home to their families – or in the case of out-of-state players, have Thanksgiving dinner with a teammate’s family.

Air Force will practice on Thanksgiving morning as well. The extra time to get ready for the Rams could be important.  

“The extra preparation is something we need here,” Calhoun said. “At this place, preparation is vital.”

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