We are the champions: Bishop Chatard ties record with ninth football state championship

Bishop Chatard High School football players celebrate with their hardware after beating St. Joseph High School in South Bend to win the IHSAA Class 3A state championship on Nov. 24. (Submitted photo)

By John Shaughnessy

When a high school team wins a state championship, it has a remarkable story to share.

When a high school team makes its ­contribution to a tradition that has won multiple state championships in one sport, it also becomes part of a larger story, one in which the chapters stretch across different classes and generations.

On Nov. 24, the football team of Bishop Chatard High School in ­Indianapolis won the Indiana High School Athletic Association 3A state championship by beating St. Joseph High School from South Bend, Ind., 31-7.

The team’s victory also helped Bishop Chatard’s Trojans tie an Indiana high school record for most state championships in football—nine.

As head coach Vince Lorenzano talked with pride about this year’s team, he discussed the qualities that guided it. He also noted that many of those qualities have been part of the program for a long time.

In honor of the ninth state ­championship football team at Bishop Chatard, here are nine approaches that have exemplified this year’s team and the continuing tradition it represents.

Reach for your potential. “The mission statement of the team is for each individual to reach their unique potential,” Lorenzano said. “That’s the main goal, to help a teenager in the program find where they fit and help them find their potential. If you reach your potential as a faith-based person, you are a success. That’s all I’ve ever asked. That’s what I want you to do.”

Face failure with faith. “We all fail. It’s part of life. You have to tell them that, and teach them how to survive adversity, how to deal with difficult times. We had some tough points this year, and there were questions about our team and our coaches. We stayed the course, and the kids gave the effort. They faced adversity, they overcame it and they moved on. It’s a great feeling to be part of it.

“There will be times when you don’t have the glory of success but, if you lead your life in a faith-based way, you will succeed.”

Honor the tradition. On the T-shirts and sweatshirts celebrating Bishop Chatard’s state championship in football this year are the words “Tradition Never Graduates.” Also listed on the shirts are the previous years the school has won a state championship in football: 1983, 1984, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2006.

“We have certain things we do here that never change,” said Lorenzano, one of the four head coaches who has led Bishop Chatard to a state championship in football. “Kids move on and go to college, but new kids come in and the tradition continues. The effort idea is always talked about—how little kids in the stands are watching you. There’s no such thing as a break in our program.”

Share time as a family. “Every Friday, after school, we break bread together as a team. That’s just part of the family thing. Experts say it’s good for a family to sit down to eat together for 30 to 45 minutes. It’s a time when you can talk, relax and communicate.”

Lorenzano believes that approach helps to develop a unity among team members. He recalls a player who had to stay in the hospital following knee surgery, and how teammates visited him and called him.

“They pray for each other,” he said. “They don’t make it a big deal. They do it as a natural extension of who they are.”

Make time for God. “We go to Mass every Friday as a team. I think it’s important. Mass gives you a chance to spend time in front of God. It also gives kids a chance to reflect and think about things. In our fast-paced world, it’s good to give our kids a chance to slow down and think about their lives.”

Expect success. “Success breeds expectations of more success. The successful programs and teams expect to do well. There’s nothing wrong with that if you keep the right perspective. I’ve coached teams that were three and seven that I had the greatest respect for.”

Give the extra effort. “These kids this year just always gave the effort. There was never a time when they did not give what they had. They will not quit on you. They will not stop.”

Put the team before yourself. “These kids are great kids. And that starts at home. They have parents who have trained them correctly. The parents put the concerns of the school above themselves. The amount of effort they give is unbelievable. Their constant support and their unwavering belief in what we do are so important.”

Give love and respect. “Before and after the game, I tell the players I love them. You’re sending kids out in a tough, hostile environment that football is. You have to believe in them and love them. I have great respect for this group. That’s the cool thing. I know what they’ve done.” †