The whistle blows, a shrill sound ringing through the air, as the football snaps to the quarterback and the play begins. To most, the following five seconds may seem like mad scramble of tackles and confusion. Mitchell Granados (12), however, tries to approach every play and challenge in his life with a level head and focused mindset—a quality that he draws from his mother, Mary Granados.

“My mom does a lot for me, and she’s really special,” Mitchell said. “Her mom passed away when she was a baby, and her dad was shipped off to the navy. My mom and her sisters stuck together their whole lives and [my mom] actually put herself into college. Now she’s a teacher. That focus she had is something I aspire to have, and I go back to that when I’m struggling.”

Mitchell channels that philosophy of focus he draws from his mother into his sports. Growing up in a family full of athletes, he began playing Pop Warner football at the age of six. Football occupies a major role in Mitchell’s life—his father and uncles played the sport when they were younger, he grew up watching the game with his family and his grandpa owns an entire room dedicated to the San Francisco 49ers. Now, as a high schooler still playing the game, Mitchell tries to maintain a high level of sportsmanship and a calm mindset.

“I have to keep that mindset especially this year because I have to be a good role model,” Mitchell said. “Sometimes I lose track of how fortunate I am to be healthy and going to this school so it’s always good for me to check in and stay humble. It puts things into perspective.”

Fellow football player Phil Han (11), who joined football his freshman year, emphasizes Mitchell’s commitment to helping his teammates.

“Even back then, everybody already knew he was going to be captain because he supports even the people who aren’t the best on the team and helps them improve,” Phil said. “Mitchell would probably be the best example of a captain that we have on the team. That’s proven—he was the only captain that got unanimously voted in.”

Mitchell’s relationship with his teammates consists of encouragement and support.

“I remember when I first went on varsity full time, Mitchell was always the first one to notice me,” Phil said. “It made me feel special because as linebacker you end up usually at the bottom of the pile. Mitchell’s the first person to see me there and congratulate me like, ‘Great job, you made the tackle!’ He is the kind of guy notices even the small things, and that really brings up all the individuals that he touches.”

Before games, Mitchell tries to motivate those around him.

“To make myself less nervous, I always try to make other people less nervous,” Mitchell said. “I’ll go around the locker room and give everyone a handshake and a hug before our games. I always break the huddle before we go out—I’ll say ‘Family on three!’ and I lead the clapping warmup. It gets us in the right mindset before the games because they’re really nerve wracking.”

Sidharth “Sid” Dudyala (11), another member of the football team, has observed Mitchell’s influence even off the field.

“Since its just my second year it’s been difficult for me, but whenever I needed help, Mitchell would always come cheer me up,” Sid said. “I played pretty badly during the second game this year, and even though we won, I was feeling really down. Mitchell was one of the only people who came up to me after the game to make sure I was feeling alright.”

Trevor Thompson (12), one of his friends since the seventh grade, nods to the development in character he’s noticed in Mitchell.

“We’ve been friends since middle school but I feel like I’ve known him forever,” Trevor said. “He’s really selfless—he takes Marcus Anderson to and from school almost every day. He’s definitely gotten more mature over the years, and he’s very driven. Over the summer, he did a crossfit training program for football and it was a pretty intense workout regimen. Even though it wasn’t required, he still chose to do it and that shows his initiative and his commitment to his teammates.”

Now, as an upperclassman, Mitchell reflects on his influence as a leader.

“In the end, it’s really gratifying to see what comes out of the work I try to put into everything, from track to football,” Mitchell said. “I really try to bond with my teammates and be the person they can go to for information or anything they need. I’ve had to keep a good mindset especially this year because I’m senior. I remember when I was a freshman, I’d look up to seniors because they always listened to coach and did everything right on the field. I look at myself in that position now. Seeing people improve and succeed is what makes it worth it.”