Thomas Bonvehi is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Mountain High school for AZPreps365.com.

Whenever a team wins, fans are quick to praise the players. But without a coach who knows how to bring the right mentality, the team won’t succeed.

That’s not the case for Desert Mountain head coach Conrad Hamilton, who is bringing a professional mindset to the team after his years in the NFL with the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons.

“We call it our championship mindset mentality,” Hamilton said. “We want to win championships every day, on the field, in the community or in the classroom, all that stuff. I know it sounds cliche but that approach has to be in practice. 

Hamilton has been focusing on every game, and bringing a certain mentality to get the best out of his players. 

“We wanted to play 14 state championship games, 10 in the regular season, four in the playoffs. That’s kind of the approach to the mentality that we have each and every week.”

Hamilton says it’s a “professional athlete” mentality.

“You got to work your tail off to get to the elite level,” Hamilton said. “You got to work your hardest. You got to be accountable. You have to be disciplined.”

Hamilton brings a mindset that has his players believing in him and themselves.

“It definitely brings us together,” senior captain Ryan McDonough said. “It makes us love each other and trust each other.”

As for how he coaches on the field, it’s clear that the players believe in his play calling.

“He’s a great coach,” senior offensive lineman Ronnie Broatch said. “From an offense perspective, how the defense works I think we have one of the best defenses in the state and a lot of that’s on him, his plays and his play calling. He’s really strict on us and he gets the best out of us.”

Every game matters to Hamilton, no matter the stakes, or who they play.

“I think it really works out,” Broatch said. “Week by week, practice by practice, I think that really helps us to win every game and not look forward. Pretty much every game is the championship game until it’s the actual championship.”

Hamilton’s mentality on the field is to push everyone, and it stays that way off the field with their classes.

“I think everyone for the most part pushes themselves and strives to be the best they can on and off the field,” Broatch said. “I think he does a great job at really getting on us for the little things and being a better program. I think that really helps everyone to be the best man they can be.”

The biggest thing for every student and coach, however, is academics. While Hamilton is a football coach, he says he takes studies just as seriously as the results on the field.

“It’s been a good deal for me to keep them accountable,” Hamilton said. “I get a grade report every week like we’re in college and where they’re at with their grades, if they’re missing class, if they’re not turning in the assignments, what their behaviors are. Having that weekly update, I think we’ve been doing a good job.”