This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
11/20/2018 11:00 PMJustin Robida is proving that perseverance pays off as a member of the Valley Regional-Old Lyme football team. Justin, a senior captain linebacker, has worked diligently to put himself in a position to lead the Warriors on defense after suffering a back injury. This year, Justin has played in all eight games and recorded 102 tackles, including 18 for a loss, for Valley-Old Lyme.
Justin has a big role in the Warriors’ defense, especially since he’s the one who relays the plays to the huddle from defensive coordinator Bobby Sanchez on the sidelines. The senior captain also helps keep Valley’s linemen in position as they get into their sets.
“Every play, I look to Coach Sanchez, and he’ll give me a sign, and then we’ll set up. I have to remember my role in the defensive front. That’s a process, but it gets easier once you really learn it,” Justin says. “A lot of my position depends on my linemen. After the snap, I look to the guards, and that will tell me what’s going on. In a run, I check my gaps and, if a guard steps back for a pass, I look to defend that.”
Along with his defensive responsibilities, Justin is also a running back and tight end in the Warriors’ offense. The time that Justin spends on the offensive side of the ball gives him perspective on how to succeed when he’s playing defense. Justin also feels that he’s a more effective player on offense as a result of his experience as a linebacker.
“Being a defensive player, it helps my offense, because I know what a player will think when I do a move. It also helps me at running back, because I know how I would react,” says Justin. “It helps, but it’s hard, because I have to know the defensive sets and all the offensive plays, as well.”
In the spring, Justin plays long-stick defender for the Valley Regional boys’ lacrosse squad. Justin comes from a baseball family and, at first, he was thinking about playing that sport during the springtime. Ultimately, Justin signed up to play lacrosse, and he likes that the sport helps him keep his competitive edge as he goes toe-to-toe against his opponents.
“I like lacrosse, because it’s fast paced. It’s more physical. It’s fun to play. It’s almost as much fun as football,” says Justin, who lives in Chester. “When I started playing, it helped me keep up my intensity. It was a mix of staying in shape, running, and reading other players. Lacrosse helps me in tackling in the open field, because you have to watch the way players move and their body positions.”
Justin had to work himself back into shape after injuring his back while training during the lacrosse season. It was a long process, but Justin believes that it was also a valuable experience.
“It was a lot of physical therapy work. I strained it lifting too much weight before practice during the lacrosse season,” Justin says. “I used to look at injuries as short-term things, but this one made me look at the big picture, and what I really wanted to do.”
Lately, Justin has been taking a heavier hand in scouting other teams on the football field. Studying film is nothing new for Justin, but this year, he’s been attending more games with Warriors’ Head Coach Tim King. Justin feels that the extra time is making a big difference.
“I’ve been going to more games and watching, and it really does help. You see something on the field, and then you look at the film after,” he says. “We watch a ton of film. We lift, then we watch film wherever we can. Sometimes, we end up in the film session longer than we lift, but your mental game is as important as your physical one.”
Coach King was impressed by Justin’s efforts to get back on the gridiron this fall. King describes Justin as the “defensive quarterback” of the Warriors, because of his ability to lead that unit.
“Justin worked so hard this year to get back to the team after his injury. He went to therapy and worked endlessly getting back. I was really worried about him being able to play this year, but he’s made it, and I’m really proud of him for working in the summer and in the offseason,” King says. “At linebacker, he’s our plugger. He plugs the holes up a lot when we stunt. It’s good having him back. He’s a leader. He really solidifies that linebacker spot, and he’s a big part of our defense.”
Valley-Old Lyme is bringing a record of 7-1 into its final game of the 2018 regular season. With his high-school career coming to close, Justin is looking ahead to college and pursuing an outdoor education major at Northern Vermont University. Justin says that he will always look back with pride at the time he spent with the Warriors’ football team. The most rewarding part for Justin is sharing in the experience with the people who’ve been alongside him for the ride.
“There are a ton of moments to be proud of. The best moments I can think of are practicing with the team,” says Justin. “A lot of people would point out a game, but the work ethic that my team shows is what I’m proudest of.”