As the leaves turn red and yellow, fall continues to deepen, and the regular season of the National Football League (NFL) and its corresponding fantasy leagues take place. The fantasy leagues, in particular, are at their peak at SIS, where students and teachers are participating in mock leagues and games. At the end of each week, points in the fantasy football system are calculated to determine a winner in each matchup, and the students with the best record go to the playoffs at the end of the season.

At the start of each season, people can participate in fantasy football by forming their own or joining existing leagues. Thereafter, within these leagues, with regard to actual athletes’ stats and potential, players devise their own starting lineup. These lineups are subject to change as managers can add or drop players as they choose, so free agents must be monitored closely as well. 

Eight students, Tim Munro, and Tyge Shelby have formed their own fantasy league at SIS, in which their teams are competing against each other. While there is no financial reward for the winner, students and teachers alike are enjoying the friendly competitions.

“I feel confident in my team this year,” Samuel Hong (11), fantasy football fanatic, said. “However, even if I do not win, I think this was an opportunity for me to participate  in a close bonding activity and form tighter knits with teachers. It showed me that teachers and students can be close outside of the school context.”

Although students and teachers had their own fantasy leagues in the past, this is the first instance where they are in a mixed league. Ultimately, this fantasy football season could be the first stepping stone to further integration of students and teachers into the school community.

At the moment, Samuel is leading the league with a 3-0 record, the only remaining undefeated team. On the other hand, Mr. Shelby is the only winless manager, although he lost by a single-digit margin last week. Still, over ten weeks remain in the season, making the playoff seeding highly uncertain as of now.

“Fantasy football really takes the professional relationship between students and teachers and turns it into a peer relationship,” Tim Munro, fantasy football player, said. “Students get to explore what is appropriate and not when engaging in these out of class activities, and teachers get to know their students better. I hope more students engage in fantasy so we can have more fun and lead better student teacher relationships.”