Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to achieve uncommon results. This idea has been taken up by Head Football Coach, Todd Kuska and his entire staff.

This past Monday April 29th, the football team piled into a bus and went on a team building event. The location; Top Golf in Wood Dale, Illinois, not exactly a great place to hone your football skills, but the coaching staff said that it wasn’t about football. “These type of thing is not going to help us score touchdowns or block better, “ Kuska stated. “However, it will build the trust and relationships to make this a team and that alone will make us better on the field.  

The goal of this event was to give the team a chance to bond with each other, compete against each other, and to take one more step towards their goal of becoming a true team.

For the past 5 years the football team has been choosing team leaders, who then draft their respective team to compete against each other in competitive events throughout the off season.  The teams do not just compete in athletic events; they also compete against each other in academics, attendance at other St. Rita events, and also community service events (St. Baldrick’s Day, Blood Drive etc.).This promotes team building throughout the entire football program and promotes the spirit of Unitas, one of St. Rita’s core values.

Even thought the football season is 4 months away, it is never too early to start. “This is as important as anything we do in the off season,” Kuska said. “The connections we are making and the steps we are taking during these team building activities is something that cannot be learned in the weight room or on the field. That’s why we don’t take it for granted.”

While no one came away from this outing as the next Tiger Woods, the team feels it took steps towards their goals and look forward to the next competition. Up next for the team: the annual bowling competition.

Thousands of high school football players around the country are making their decision today on which college or university they will be attending in the fall. That is no different for the students at St. Rita as eight members of the football team signed their national letters of intent this morning to their chosen schools.

Drew Cash (Mokena JHS)   DL – Loras College
Troy Johnson (Wilbur Wright MS)  O/DL – Quincy University
Tommy McCormick (St. Christina)   SS  – St. Joseph’s College
Nick Piraino (Robert Healy MS)   OL – Carthage College
Jack Sears (St. Christina)   OLB – Robert Morris
Jake Spallina (Queen of Martyrs)  OL – Robert Morris
Ben Threloff (Most Holy Redeemer)  OLB – Wisconsin Whitewater
Alex Zaleski (St. Catherine)  OL – St. Xavier

This senior class compiled a record of 30-13 over their four year career, winning numerous playoff games including a run into the semifinals of the state championships in 2011. While losing such a great class of players is hard for Head Coach Todd Kuska, he understands the importance of the players continuing their career. “Every year we have to replace good players and this year is no exception. All these guys are ready to move forward in their careers, but more importantly they have made the St. Rita football program very proud.”

Troy Johnson and Tommy McCormick will have to look across the field at each other next year as they both will be playing for a school in the GLVC conference. Johnson states this was an added bonus in picking Quincy. “Quincy was a great choice for me because I will have the opportunity to make a difference right away. I love the coaching staff and the program is making such great changes, plus I’m really excited that I get to play against Tommy (McCormick) next year.”

With a handful of seniors that still have yet to make their decision, staying close to home may be a factor. In the case of Alex Zaleski, who committed to NAIA powerhouse St. Xavier, being down the street was a welcomed aspect. “St. X is such a good program and they have such a great history of success,” Zaleski said. “Being close to home is important too, because my family has a chance to see me play.”

With the signing completed, Principal Brendan Conroy spoke to the men about their time here and what they meant to the school. He reminded them how proud the school is of them and to always remember the lessons that St. Rita taught them. And just as they were told on their first day of school as freshmen, Principal Conroy finished by stating, “Remember, that we will always be behind you.”

ASHBURN — The first St. Rita High School football player to reach the Super Bowl once almost gave up the sport to concentrate on bowling.

Darius Fleming, who’s on the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl XLVII roster despite suffering a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament tear in his left knee, originally dreamed of a pro bowling career.

As a St. Rita sophomore, the Auburn Gresham native pondered transferring to nearby Brother Rice, which had a better bowling squad.

“I wasn’t going to let that happen,” said 15th-year football head coach Todd Kuska, a West Lawn native. “I told him you can win an individual state bowling title anywhere, but you can only win a state football championship here.”

Kuska, also a St. Rita grad, was right as Fleming led the Mustangs to the 2006 Class 7A state crown as a junior before a standout career as an outside linebacker at the University of Notre Dame.

The 49ers, who will face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in New Orleans, selected Fleming in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

But Fleming’s season lasted only 15 minutes as he tore his left ACL during his first rookie minicamp.

The 49ers put Fleming, who signed a four-year contract, on the physically unable to perform list for the first eight weeks and moved him to injured reserve for the remainder of this season.

“For some reason, it was meant for me to tear my ACL, as crazy as that sounds,” Fleming, 23, said via cell phone from California on Friday. “I just pretty much accepted it and took it as a wakeup call.”

Athletic director Mike Zunica said St. Rita, one of Chicago’s top football programs, has sent eight players to the NFL, including current St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Matt Conrath.

For complete story click here    Courtesy of Justin Breen, DNAinfo.com

The New England Patriots signed quarterback Mike Kafka to a future contract for the 2013 season on Friday.

Kafka, graduated from St. Rita in 2005 and went on to be a standout at Northwestern. From there he was a fourth-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles where he spent his entire career as the primary backup to Donvan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick.

Unfortunately Kafka broke his hand before the start of the 2012 season and did not play.

Kafka joins San Francisco 49er and Notre Dame linebacker, Darius Fleming, as well as Matt Conrath (St. Louis Rams) as St. Rita alumni in the NFL.