College football success is often measured by wins, championships and national recognition. But some programs experience tough seasons and setbacks with the mentality to rise from those challenges becoming stronger and more resilient. 

The Castleton Spartans are a team currently facing some struggles but offer a unique story of hope and optimism moving forward.

The Castleton Spartans competed for the first time in the MASCAC last season finishing 3-7 overall with a 2-7 record in conference play. Castleton officials recently announced they’d found a new home in the NJAC later in the 2024 season. Joining the New Jersey Athletic Conference turned some heads because of its prestigious reputation of being one of the top conferences in Division III football. 

Outsiders have speculated whether this was the best decision, but the program itself believes this is the best move for the future. Athletic Director Tim Barrett is eager to see the direction Castleton football has to offer in the near future. 

“I’m excited. I think the football program is going into a new era. Higgs has found a new home in NJAC. The new conference is highly competitive but there’s something to be said about playing high competition week in and week out,” Barrett said. “I’m excited to see what new doors open up from a recruiting perspective. I know the coaches have spent more time in the New York-New Jersey area for recruiting, which gives the school more exposure.”

This upcoming season will be a challenge for the Spartans, but it’ll lay the groundwork of what the program can expect moving forward. It’s all about cultivating a culture where perseverance, discipline, and a team-first attitude matters the most. 

Every practice, every game, and every opportunity is a step forward providing valuable experience and opportunities for young players and seasoned veterans. 

“Going into the NJAC is going to be a challenge. We’re going into a conference with teams that have competed at the national level, but this will be a good way to measure against the region’s best teams,” Barrett said. 

Head Coach Tyler Higley is eager to create more competition within the team this season. Higley believes competition is something the program has been missing because it creates a huge advantage.  

“Creating more competition is going to be big for us this season. That’s why we want to bring in a big freshman class and have more competition in the spring semester,” Higley said. “We’re looking for more team engagement and team chemistry while competing within position groups as we go into next season.” 

The team’s biggest hurdle right now is building sustained momentum as the spring season approaches. Being located in Vermont hurts the team because weather is always a factor. It’s harder to get outside, forcing them to tailor their workouts around the weather.  But Higley believes how the players attack the summer will ultimately separate themselves from the pack. 

“Every top program across the country works hard in the summer. For us it’s got to come from the leadership of the team of getting together during the summer and developing as a team,” Higley said. “The leaders have to step up when the coaches aren’t around and be that voice. We’ve lacked summer cohesiveness in the past, but I feel that’s where the good teams separate.” 

Senior captain Charlie McMahon is motivated to keep team morale at a high despite recent struggles. 

“I’m a pretty vocal guy, so I think bringing the energy day in and day out will keep the guys engaged because I know this group wants to win and we want to feel successful here but we’re running out of time,” McMahon said. “Coming off some bad years we’ve been working hard this spring looking to improve while sticking to our core values as a team.” 

In the world of college football, it’s not always about how quickly you win, but how you learn, adapt, and grow in the face of adversity. And for this program, Higley feels the future is bright.

“I don’t think you can look at wins and losses because you must evolve as a team from not being good at just five or six different things but all the facets of the game,” Higley said. “There’s no quick fix in football. It’s about creating competition and having an array of different arsenals to sustain balance throughout the team. Having a good balance within the game of football is what makes the good teams good.”

Outside of the white lines, Higley wants to continue the program’s dominance of being one of the best academic performing teams within the conference. Higley believes it’ll be a useful tool in the program’s long-term vision of establishing themselves as a program and building better young men. 

“I would like to be a nationally recognized program, leading the conference in all academic players,” Higley said. “We’re looking to help players build resumes for themselves to promote the alumni doing good things. The more you can drive the overall look of the program is when you start to see the program improve.”