This week in our Time Out with Coach segment, WGXA’s Carlos Stephens sat down with Westside Head Football Coach Sheddrick Risper to talk about the challenges — and hope — that come with the seminoles tough season.

Coach Risper and his team currently stand at 2-6, a record that marks the first time in school history they’ve been in this position. But for Risper, the numbers don’t tell the full story.

“We’re only one game worse than we were last year before we went on a little winning streak,” Risper said. “The teams we’ve lost to — they’re all top 10 programs. So, I’m not worried.”

Despite a six-game losing streak, Risper says the locker room’s spirit remains unbroken. “We’re human — the guys get down sometimes,” he admitted. “But we don’t stay down. There’s a lot of tradition here, and one of our rules is you play hard and you don’t quit.”

For Risper, football has always been about more than wins and losses. It’s about character, mentorship, and love for the players he leads.

“There are two things I’m built for — to love on people, and to coach,” he said. “When people know that you love them, that’s the difference maker.”

And while the odds may seem stacked against them, Risper still believes in a turnaround.

“We did it last year,” he said. “We went on a little winning streak and had the number one team in the state on the ropes with 14 seconds left. So, absolutely — we can do it again.”