The Natick Football team enters this season looking to build on a Carey Division title, and the work has already started.

The Redhawks closed out last year at 8-3 and won the Carey Division, a season Head Coach Mark Mortarelli credits largely to the leadership of a senior class that’s now moved on.

“We had really terrific leadership from our senior class,” Mortarelli stated. “That is something we need to replace this year. We have a strong group back, but we are looking for emerging leaders.’’

That search for leadership isn’t new territory for a program Mortarelli has been part of for nearly three decades. 

He played for Natick under Tom Lamb and Bob Ghilani before landing a paraprofessional job at the school after college. It was Ghilani who pulled him onto the sideline.

“Bob Ghilani came to see me and asked if I would help coach the freshmen team with him. I could never say no to Coach Ghilani, and I’ve been at Natick High ever since,’’ Mortarelli said. “That was 1997, so I’ve been here a long time.’’

That long tenure shows up in how deliberately the program is structured. Mortarelli and his staff put an emphasis on making sure every player, regardless of role, knows exactly what’s expected of him heading into Friday nights.

“We ask a lot of our guys, and I feel like it is the coach’s job to set up a practice schedule that is consistent, demanding and efficient,” Mortarelli said.

Every roster looks different year to year, but the standard doesn’t move. Mortarelli relies on his seniors to set the tone both in the building and outside of it. 

“Every year is different, but we lean on the senior leaders to set the example of what we are looking for in the classroom, around the community and on the field,’’ he said. “We try to build a culture where our players are willing to put the team first and hold each other accountable. You don’t need talent to put the team first and act with class around the community.’’

To Mortarelli, work ethic and selflessness matter more than the box score. “We are looking for players who aren’t afraid to work hard and who are not worried about who gets the credit when things go well,’’ he said.

Versatility matters too; Mortarelli points to players willing to move around the field as some of the most valuable pieces on a roster.

“We also really stress that players who are willing to play multiple positions can really benefit the team. We want guys that want to celebrate with their teammates, who respect all of our opponents and are leaders around our school.”

Natick’s offseason program is already well underway, with most of the roster reporting to strength and conditioning at 6:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday, while skill players add a Tuesday and Thursday night passing league on top of it.

For Mortarelli, that kind of commitment isn’t optional in today’s landscape. “The way high school football is structured, if you don’t have a robust summer program, you put your team at a significant disadvantage,’’ he said.

Plenty of his players compete in other sports as well, something Mortarelli fully supports as long as the time gets managed well. 

“We want kids to go on vacation, spend time with their families, but when you are in Natick, we expect them to be working with us.’’

Leading that work is a group of five captains, chosen by their teammates rather than appointed.

“We have five outstanding captains. Our players select the captains, but we really lean on all of the seniors to guide the type of team we want to be,’’ Mortarelli said.

That reliance is built into the program’s structure through what Mortarelli calls “mini-teams,’’ which are smaller, senior-led groups tasked with setting team goals early in the season and holding teammates accountable throughout.

The coaching staff treats that leadership as a two-way conversation. “We believe that input from the guys doing the work is really important, so our coaching staff communicates regularly with our senior leaders,’’ Mortarelli said.

At the end of the day, Mortarelli wants his players to leave with a sense of pride in being part of something larger than themselves, and better equipped to handle adversity because of it.

“I would hope that any player that had the opportunity to wear a Natick Football jersey appreciates the tradition, sacrifice and sense of pride our town has related to all athletics,’’ he said.