A notification comes through on the league members’ phones. A huge trade has been made. Everyone opens their phone and begins texting in the group chat. League members who are together in school converse about the shocking trade. For about five months a year, Jones students spend their lunch and AcLab periods spending time together, making trades and bonding over fantasy. It doesn’t just end there. League members will go home and call each other to continue their fantasy football fandom. 

Fantasy football is a game of statistics and strategy. Players draft real NFL players to their team. Each week, players face off one-on-one against their opponents to see which team can score the most points. 

Fantasy has been around for over 60 years, originating in 1962 when the founders formed the rules in a New York City hotel. Fantasy football was created as a competitive game of strategy and social connection. Studies show that about 83% of participants cite maintaining friendships and community building as a primary motivation for playing. That same social connection and community is evident 60 years later at Jones. Fantasy football communities around the school create a space for fun competition and bonding. 

Jonathan De Leon, a junior and the league manager of the class of 2028 league, said, “I wanted to create a league because I knew people liked football and it could be a way for us to connect and have a bit of friendly competition.” His league has been a complete success, with many people bonding over their passion for football. De Leon created the league last year, starting with 12 players, and has already grown to 14 players for this season. 

De Leon said he feels the league has made some connections with classmates stronger and has even formed new friendships. 

“There are people before who definitely didn’t really know each other, and fantasy football has boosted their friendship,” De Leon said. “Some people who maybe wouldn’t have crossed paths if it wasn’t for fantasy football.”

Creating strong relationships in high school helps support personal well-being. Fantasy football has done that for a lot of Jones students. 

“We talk almost daily,” De Leon said. “We have a group chat where we talk every day there is football, which is like five to seven days a week.” 

These bonds could last way after high school, with talks about keeping their league together even after graduation, said De Leon.

Other members of the league feel the same connection. Landon Bermudez, a junior, joined the league halfway through last season to take over for another member. 

“I knew about the league when it started, but I didn’t join. I wish I had joined at the beginning of the year. I didn’t know how fun it was going to be,” Bermudez said. He is in the league again this year and has enjoyed it even more. “I actually got to draft my team this year. Last year, I took over someone’s team. I had to rebuild it.” Community can make such a change to your school year. Whether that is fantasy football, a club, sport or organization. 

Ben Economos, another member of the league, has a history of playing fantasy football prior to high school. 

He said, “I have played fantasy football for many years, but I haven’t enjoyed it as much as I do now. Playing with people you know and see every day makes it much better than playing with random people online.”

Real-life connection plays an important role in interacting with others. It makes it easier to communicate and also to feel truly a part of something. People who interact online often feel that distance, like something is missing. In a study conducted by the NIH ECHO Program, they found that teens with high-quality in-person friendships experience significantly better mental health. 

Fantasy football takes place in many people’s lives around the country and the world, with people joining random leagues or doing it with friends. At Jones, fantasy is done the right way with real connections and relationships. Whether you love football or have never watched it in your life, join a league. Feeling connected matters, and the fastest way to feel this connection is to participate in something you are interested in.