Hollywood High’s football team has gone from winless in 2021 to playoff bound with five victories in 2022, and one of the key players has been linebacker Steven Leon, a team captain who has overcome a family tragedy that tested his beliefs.
In May 2021, two gunmen opened fire during a Mother’s Day party, killing Leon’s 29-year-old brother, Alfonso Leon Jr., and wounding three others.
“He taught me everything about football,” Leon said. “He wasn’t here to see me play.”
Every game, Leon thinks of his brother.
When Leon was playing last season and the Sheiks went 0-8, quitting was never considered. He kept fighting and honoring his brother. Now the Sheiks, under first-year coach Alastair Jones, are 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the Central League.
He’s having fun again, and football has helped him move forward with his life.
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