The Commanders' Week 7 Tackle Coach of the Week is Armstrong's Jeremy Pruitt. Coach Pruitt leads with service, setting the standard for community involvement at Armstrong High. Since he joined the football program, it has become a model of teamwork and compassion. His Wildcats consistently give back through campus clean-up days, volunteering at local churches and supporting RVA Feed the Streets, a local nonprofit dedicated to provided food and hygiene products to Richmond residents in need. Through his leadership, Coach Pruitt continues to strengthen both his team and the greater Richmond community.

Q: Congratulations on being named Week 7 Tackle Coach of the Week. How does it feel?

A: "Winning Coach of the Week means a lot because it shows that we're working hard. It's not about me. It's about the kids."

Q: What's one of the biggest life lessons football has taught you, and how do you look to pass that on to your student-athletes?

A: "Football has taught me discipline on and off the field. I didn't have my father in my life, so the coaches who were in my life were father figures for me. Without football, I don't know where I'd be today. Being in the area I am in, the kids are like me, if that makes sense. A lot of single-parent homes, so I try to be a father figure or big brother. I'm passing on what I was able to get growing up."

Q: Do you have a motto or mantra that anchors you in your work?

A: "I always say, 'No struggle, no progress.' If you don't go through a rough situation, how can you grow? You've got to face adversity. It's not easy to be 9-0 right now."

Q: Speaking of Armstrong's undefeated season so far, what do you feel like is on key to building such a dominant program?

A: "Development. Our junior varsity is not about wins and losses. It's about homing into the development aspect of the football game, so when they become varsity football players, they're ready. We've got to take it slow and build that way. I start out at eighth grade, by about tenth grade, they're ready for varsity."