Get to know Nutley HS football player Brandon Lucia

NUTLEY, N.J. — Brandon Lucia, Nutley High School senior who plays wide receiver and safety, brings a lot to football. He’s also one of the team’s captains, a position that defines him well. On the field, he is a blur of movement—being in the right place at the most opportune time and anticipating the opposition’s moves with counter strategies.

While all of this looks easy from the stands, Brandon does a lot of work off the field.

First, he acknowledges the physical side of football, both the prep work and the recovery.

“My biggest challenge is getting my body physically ready for games every week,” he said. “Throughout the season, with there being a lot of contact, nagging injuries tend to linger, especially late in the season.”

As anyone who has seen him play knows, Brandon thrives in this team atmosphere.

“I love the contact aspect of my sport but also I love how each person has a specific job they must do in order for the team to be successful. Being a member of a team has taught me that it is very important to do the right thing because you never know who could be looking up to you and following your example.”

Brandon Lucia also knows that some of the best plays aren’t scripted but have become mindsets that provide the right motivation.

“The best advice that I was given was ‘to be the best, you must do what others won’t.’ To me that means I need to make time to do more than what is required instead of doing the minimum to get by.”

These words have been the foundation of all that Brandon does and has accomplished. But, like every great player, there may come a time when even their best efforts fall short. In a case like that, Brandon is quick to learn something from it.

“A mistake I made in a game was when I dropped a pass in the end zone right before halftime. I overcame this by practicing catching passes at halftime to make sure it didn’t happen again and in the second half I scored a touchdown.”

While Brandon does a lot to prepare for the physical and mental aspects of the sport, when it’s game day, he “listens to music and tries to relax” before running out onto the field.

He enjoys the social aspect of being a member of a team, both in football and baseball. Working out at the gym and hanging out with his friends also scores high with this senior.

Brandon’s goals include to continue playing football in college and to earn a scholarship.

And having his eyes on future goals is also something he learned through football.

“One of my coaches said that the next play is the most important play. Football is a very fast game and if you spend time worrying about a previous play you might miss the opportunity to do something great on the next play.”

With that mindset, nothing will stop Brandon Lucia’s forward momentum.

This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.