It’s Friday night and Neshaminy football’s fan section is packed. Players race out onto the green, ready to take on their competitors.  Among them, number 8: Football captain and quarterback, Mason Jones.

Now a senior, Jones began playing football in kindergarten. With a family who loves football—his father, a football coach and his brother, a member of the 2001 Neshaminy state champion team—an interest in the game came as second nature to him.

“Football has taught me that you always have to set the right example, especially in how you conduct yourself in and outside of school. Your teammates look at you and need to see how to act,” Jones said. “Also it’s taught me that in games if something goes wrong you [have] to be the first one to start encouraging and trying to get the team’s spirit up again to get back on track. At the same time, you can never take anything for granted and just because something good happens, you can’t get complacent; you have to play every minute of the game.”

When he isn’t practicing or watching back over film, Jones stays on top of his school work, watches Sports Center, and volunteers at the Bucks County Challenger Football Program.

“It’s a great team sport, and it’s fun. I’ve been playing it with my friends all my life. You make so many friends through it; they become brothers to you, and I know I’ll be friends with them for life,” Jones remarked, regarding the Neshaminy football team.

“It means that you as a team came together and did your own individual job and as a whole you were able to beat your opponent; it’s a great feeling.”