BELVIDERE, Ill. (WIFR) – The Belvidere Bucs enter the 2024 season with new head coach Sean Donnelly in hand. Belvidere is coming off a one-win season where expectations aren’t very high, but for Donnelly, expectations extend well beyond the 2024 season.

“You know, as far as the varsity team goes, I expect us to take small steps forward,” says Sean Donnelly.

Donnelly most recently served as special teams coordinator for three years under former Belvidere head coach Tony Ambrogio. During Ambrogio’s three-year tenure, Belvidere won just two games.

Donnelly now has to deal with rebuilding a struggling football program, and his first goal means more than what you see on the scoreboard.

“We need to think about where we can get our success and not just look at the scoreboard,” exclaims Donnelly. “The fact that we have 80% of our kids here every day in the summer is a credit to us, that hasn’t happened in the past.”

Belvidere High School has a program with enough depth to field freshman, sophomore and varsity football teams this season, something that has not been possible in the past.

Coach Donnelly continues to gain the trust of his players, but their confidence has grown tremendously through training.

“The expectations are that we’re going to be a lot better than last year,” junior linebacker Juan Cervantes said. “I mean, everyone sees our record, 1-8, that’s nothing to be proud of. I mean, we all see coach Donnelly and we’re motivated, he brings out the best in us.”

The Belvidere Bucs don’t expect to be an immediate threat in the NIC-10, but they are using this time to rebuild their program for the future. With a solid number of returning leaders, however, Belvidere could still make a splash in the conference.

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