Play like a champion today.

That famous phrase is just an example of the many slogans plastered in football locker rooms, weight rooms and on team merchandise. Peoria-area football programs aren't much different, offering their own unique take on punch words.

This is the first of a multi-part series where the Journal Star talks with coaches and players about numerous topics relating to the world of high school football. Some of those questions range from how they embody their team, opponents they would want as a teammate, pre-game routines and off-the-field work. Look for more stories as the season progresses.

Kickoff 2024: All the stories in one place — Peoria's ultimate guide to 2024 high school football

Here is what some Peoria-area coaches said when asked for a phrase, word or sentence that best represents their program.

Big 12 coaches

• Pat Armstrong, Peoria Notre Dame: "Success by determination. Determination by leadership. Leadership through faith. We are Irish, we are Family."

• James Ulrich, Richwoods: " 'E.A.T.' That represents our approach every day: Effort. Attitude. Toughness. You control your effort and make sure it's at the highest level. Your attitude is reflected each time you go on that field. And you establish toughness, physical and mental. We've gotten better in all three of these and so our program has gotten better."

• Dennis Bailey, Manual: " 'We all we got. We are all we need.' Just embracing the underdog role we play in our conference. This offseason, I challenged my coaches and players to focus on who we are and that's Peoria Manual — one of the most athletic teams in this conference, and not worry about the outside noise."

• Aaron Montgomery, Peoria High: “Work and the continued chase of work. Not being deterred by pain or discomfort.”

Mid-Illini coaches

• Sam Durley, East Peoria: “ 'Create the culture' is our team motto. We talked about how this can be a clean slate for all of us as players and coaches, and we get to do it together. It doesn’t matter what has happened in the past, we have an opportunity to build a foundation this year of what we want this program to turn into. ... Creating a culture that we want our student athletes to be a part of and benefit down the road from is a top priority, not just teaching X’s and O’s on the field."

• Jared Grebner, Metamora: "FINISH. Start fast and finish strong. That's our approach. When we look back at last season, we didn't have the best endings to our practices before the Highland game. And that led to the same thing in the game itself. So this season we're really focused on every play, every drill, every practice, every moment."

• Adam O'Neill, Morton: " 'E + R = O.' That stands for Event plus Response equals Outcome. I am the owner of my response. That's the part we control. We behave like champions, and we'll always have a chance."

• Jeff Schmider, Limestone: "I was a history major, and I come from a Navy family, my dad and my uncle were both Navy. So our football team has flags that say "Don't Give Up the Ship" it's a Navy thing, and it hits hard with high school kids and reminds our team that we fight as a unit."

• Brett Cazalet, Dunlap: " 'Do your job.' It's something that started years back with our team. When you take responsibility, whether as a player or a coach, you don't worry about the outside stuff. You just worry about your job. If everyone focuses on that, we end up in a pretty good place. It's a pretty good life lesson, really. Just live in your small box."

• Nick McCormick, Canton: " 'All In.' We really preach to our guys about getting the most out of themselves. We have 'All-In" on the backs of our helmets and on wrist bands."

• Doug Nutter, Pekin: “Our motto this year is S.C.A.L.E.S. — Sacrifice, Compete, Attitude, Leadership, Effort, Strength."

• Todd Stevens, Washington: "Very well-rounded. The majority of our players do excel in the classroom and are multi-sport athletes."

Peoria-area small-school coaches

• Toby Vallas, Farmington: " 'It's not about who you play, it's who you are.' That's a Nick Saban quote, and we put it up two years ago on the wall of our new locker room. It shouldn't matter who the other team is or where you are playing. If you are prepared and committed, you will compete."

• Tim Heinz, Illinois Valley Central: " 'Work hard, good things will happen'. I know that's basic coach-speak, but it's proven. I had good coaching in high school and college, and I saw the outcomes from hard work. And it guided my future, too, made me want to teach and coach."

• Cody Myers, Deer Creek-Mackinaw: " 'Commitment and Tradition'. Our football team is about who we have been and who we are. It matters. Dee-Mack football is bigger than just today. There's a history to follow, and you don't want to let people down."

• Jason Bachman, Eureka: " 'Effort. Attitude. Toughness.' We've been using that in our program for years now. Those are things we can control every day. Culture defeats strategy."

• Nick Meyer, Fieldcrest: " 'Tough, Smart, Physical, Family.' That's on every calendar, every handout I distribute. My dad and brother coached, and that's when it all started for us. I talked to (Iowa State offensive line coach) George Barnett, and those were the things he relies on. If you are going to build a football team, those are the things you need to have."

• Benny Prather, Tremont: " ‘Who’s the next man up?’ That’s usually what we talk about. Who’s going to do the right things to help us get to where we need to be? Last year was a tough year, going 0-9 and offensively, scoring only 40 points on the year, so who’s the next man up to come up and fight through that?"

• Todd Hollis, Elmwood/Brimfield: " 'Agape' — Love for your fellow man through servant leadership."

• Jon Carruthers, Princeville: " 'No More' ... We have this on the back of our t-shirts. 'No More' covers a variety of things: No more excuses. No more being lazy. No more being late. No more being unprepared. No more being a bad teammate. The list goes on."

Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall. Dave Eminian contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA football: Peoria-area coaches share inspiring program mottos