Hannah Boesch attends Gilbert Christian High School and is a member of the AIA’s student SID program.  

JP Roche, a sophomore at Gilbert Christian High School, is a player on the junior varsity football team. This is his first year playing football for the school. A highlight in his season was helping the varsity team win the game against ALA Ironwood with help from Sam Webb and Bennett Juve. The sophomore stepped in as a replacement quarterback and threw 121 yards and 1 TD. 

He enjoys the environment of being on the team and competing with his teammates. “I can have fun conversations with them and it helps because we all have close connections,” he said. One reason the team has acquired numerous wins is because of the strong mentality amongst the team. “Attitude and effort are for sure a winning factor. If the team has a negative attitude then we won’t win. Trust is also one of the biggest factors of winning,” he said.

He has great appreciation for being able to give the glory to God on a Christian team. “Coach Norris has helped me become a better man and come closer to Christ,” he said.

When asked about what the best part of competing is, he replied, “it shows character and it can show who wants what. Having good character and showing that you want to compete and be the top dog shows something.” (Roche)

JP works to become the best athlete he can, and has a true passion for the game. “I started playing football when I was four. I fell in love with the sport as soon as I touched a football,” he said. JP understands the importance of hard work and a positive mentality, and with those tools he can’t lose.