John I. Leonard football, rostering just 25 players, will measure wins differently in 2025

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MIAMI GARDENS – John I. Leonard's football representatives stepped into the land of giants at the Miami Dolphins-sponsored High School Media Day on Aug. 9 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Schools from Broward, Dade and Palm Beach counties were in attendance with illustrious football schools such as Chaminade Madonna, St. Thomas Aquinas, Miami Western, Columbus, and many others.
Some clubs came with an army of a dozen players, 6-foot-5, 300-pound giants lurking in the hallways of Hard Rock Stadium.
And then in sauntered the lightly-regarded Lancers with their head coach Austin Van Es, surrounded by three players - the 5-7, 265 pound offensive lineman Solomon Yool, wide receiver/cornerback/punt returner Lumensley Joseph and running back Latrell Johnson.
Leonard's trio weren't exactly the biggest guys in the room darting through various photo shoots. But the Lancers players talked big because that's what you do at 0-0.
Never hailed a traditional football school, John I. Leonard posted a 1-9 record in 2024 – the lone victory against winless Olympic Heights.
'It is not (a big football school) but it can always be one,'' Yool said. 'If these new guys produce to their highest ability and the mentality is right, I'm all here for it. As a senior, it's my job for the mentality to be right and they become disciplined. As they grow, they're already in the works of becoming a D-I player.''
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The roster stands at just 25 players, meaning several will play offense and defense. Van Es starts his fifth season after 15 seniors left for graduation. It's a junior-dominated roster – 15 of them.
'It's trying to get kids interested in football,'' Van Es said of the unique challenges facing Leonard. 'It's not the most popular sport in our school. We usually have more kids come out for soccer and basketball. It's time to build interest and get more of a love for the sport.''
There were signs of progress in the offseason workouts but there is a ways to go.
Yool, who always sees the glass half full, said, 'The most improved part is our mentality and becoming more disciplined. This whole summer, every day, we were in weight room testing our limits so when it's time for the games we're ready to put our all into it.''
However, Joseph said dedication still has to elevate in Greenacres.
'I'll be honest when I say this,'' Joseph said of Leonard's poor records. 'It's been a lack of effort people put in. Sometimes we have less than double digits at practice. It's really sad. During summer workouts, sometimes 20 guys, then sometimes single digits. I'm like what? We got to put in more work.''
But Joseph added, 'I know we're going to do better than last season, even though we lost our seniors. We're still going to be better through God.''
It may take a miracle worker to squeeze a 2025 winning record out John I. Leonard, which hosts Forest Hill in its season opener Aug. 22. The Lancers didn't play a preseason classic game.
Es, who played football in Greenacres but at Summit Christian, was realistic.
'Right now our goal is to go week to week and see how we progress each week individually and as a team and see where our growth is at the end of the season," the coach said. 'We have a lot of young guys. Our biggest goal is see how much they improve from Week 1 to Week 10."
When losing occurs weekly, morale can go low so Es has to find ways to keep spirits flowing.
'We got to get them to understand mentally, sometimes it's not about what your record is at the end of the season,'' Van Es said. 'Our success may look like improvement. Are we getting better from Week 1? Are we dominating the line of scrimmage? We have our own little milestones we set. Success might look different for us. It might not be in our record but how we grow and improve.''
For one, Yool doesn't want to be talking about defeats. He feels the talent is there but not always a football mentality found in other schools.
'Those people come out for football and think it's all laughs and giggles and think they'll start or play,' Yool said. 'When they actually go through our practices, their weak mentality stops them and they start quitting or not showing up.''
Yool is one of eight seniors – as serious-minded about the game as anyone in Palm Beach County.
'He's going to be one our key lineman on the offensive and defensive line,''' Van Es said. 'He's going to be our anchor offensively – center, guard, whatever we need. We want him to create chaos and make plays in the backfield (on defense)."
Joseph will make an impact in all phases – offense, defense, special teams. Ther other wide receiver is junior Camdyn McCully.
Sophomores Matthew Alvarez and Caevian Miller will see time at quarterback and defensive back.
Joseph understands the supreme dedication it takes to wear the Leonard jersey proudly. 'Discipline makes it,'' Joseph said. 'I really feel like people just think they can walk in and play football and that's it. It's a physical sport. You got to go up and above.''
With the inexperience at quarterback, the defense looks to be the strong point. 'Our offense is going to have to play a lot better than the previous years,'' Van Es. 'We need teamwork."
As Yool posed for pictures among the Goliaths from other high-school squads, he said before leaving the Dolphins stadium, 'Whatever happened in the past is in the past for a reason. You can't it let effect your future."
Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [e-mail].
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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: John I. Leonard football team making the best of small roster in 2025