Lessons in Family, Trust, and Leadership from Big Red Football

CJ Nwadi ’27 sits down with head football coach Napoleon “Poe” Sykes to talk about what happens off the field: vulnerability, brotherhood, and the power of showing up for one another. The following is a lightly adapted excerpt from their conversation on 18:10, The Lawrenceville School’s podcast. 

 

What does football at Lawrenceville really mean?

CJ: When I was a freshman, I was really scared to come to Lawrenceville. I’m from Baltimore, and it’s a bit far from what I knew. But from the very beginning, I got brought in. A lot of the seniors took me under their wing and made me feel very comfortable. When school started, I felt like I already knew what I was doing. I felt comfortable in my skin, and that made a huge difference.

Coach Poe: That’s something we’ve built intentionally. We’ve created a small version of the Lawrenceville community within the football team. So, when guys come in, they’re getting text messages and calls before they even step on campus. By the time they actually arrive, they feel like they’ve already been on the team.

We’ve got guys from all different backgrounds – geographically, racially, culturally. But when they step onto this field, they’re part of this program, they’re part of a family.

 

What does TCB stand for, and how do we live it?

Coach Poe: TCB is our mantra. It means Take Care of Business and Take Care of Your Brothers (and Sisters). I came up with that back in 2006. As I was listening to some of the things that young people were talking about, I felt like we needed to create an anchor, a compass.

CJ: Every time you get tackled, five guys help you up. Every time something happens, people are always there for you. People are checking in, people are helping you with schoolwork. People are talking to you if you’re feeling down. It really is a brotherhood.

Coach Poe: I think it starts with the people. The people who are in the program are really what shape it. And one of the things that we try to do as coaches is really celebrate every role. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the starter or you’re on the scout team or you’re the fourth string. Everybody has a job. And if you’re not doing your job, you’re letting someone down. So, TCB.

 

How do we build trust and vulnerability?

CJ: I think that one of the things that really separates the Lawrenceville School football program from other schools is how we start the year. One of the most important nights of preseason, in my opinion, is that meeting where everyone comes together, and we sit down and share things that we’ve gone through. A lot of people cry. And from that moment on, it feels like a family.

Coach Poe: You get a chance to see a lot of young men be vulnerable. It makes me cry because it makes me realize how strong these kids are. They’re carrying a lot. There’s a lot going on. But they come every day. They smile. They’re present. And they’re there for one another. It creates that sense of trust, that sense of safety. And I think it’s something that makes our group different. We’re not afraid to cry. We’re not afraid to feel.

Why do we dance on Mondays?

CJ: On Mondays, our team goes to the dance studio to stretch. And a lot of people might think that’s a little different. But it’s one of my favorite parts of the week.

Coach Poe: Me, too. Stretching is great for recovery, and it’s also great for team building. When you have 40 guys in a dance studio stretching together, doing yoga poses, and sometimes even choreographing dances, it brings everybody closer. And it gives us a chance to connect with parts of campus we might not usually interact with.

CJ: I always joke – people think football is hard, but try ballet after leg day! It’s humbling. But also kind of amazing. We learn to move better, and it brings us together in a totally different way.

 

How do small things build culture?

Coach Poe: One thing I’ve noticed is how players come up after practice and say, “Thank you, Coach.” They shake hands. They give hugs. It’s just something they do.

CJ: It’s because we’re grateful. For the work, for the time, for the opportunity. It’s part of the culture.

Coach Poe: Football is hard. It’s physically hard. It’s mentally hard. But so is life. You’re going to have your first heartbreak, your first real failure during these years. If we can teach you how to navigate those things – how to stay steady through the highs and lows — then we’ve done our job.

CJ: There’s something about being around this team that makes you more emotionally aware. You learn how to lead people. How to listen. And how to show up for people.

Coach Poe: That’s the work that a lot of programs don’t want to do. But we lean into it. We talk about hard things. We check in on each other. We reflect. And that’s part of why our guys grow so much – because they’re not just learning plays; they’re learning how to be.

 

What’s the legacy of this program?

Coach Poe: I want people to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves. Football ends. High school ends. But the lessons, the relationships, the growth – that’s what stays. That’s the legacy.

CJ: I’m thankful for the way this program has shaped me. I’ve become more organized, more thoughtful, more responsible. I’ve learned how to lead.

Coach Poe: I want this program to be a part of the school – not a separate thing. I want it to touch every part of campus. And it does. Our guys are prefects (student leaders in the dorms). They act in plays, sing in the choir. They carry boxes and bags for new students on move-in day.

CJ: It’s not just a team – it’s a group of people that’s made me who I am.

 

Listen to the full conversation between CJ Nwadi, a junior at The Lawrenceville School, and Coach Poe on our podcast, 18:10.

For more information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.