Sports have been a cornerstone of senior C.J. Landry’s experience at Loomis Chaffee, shaping not only his skills on the field but also his growth as a student and leader. A varsity football and lacrosse player, C.J. also has made his mark as a resident assistant in Batchelder Hall, a tour guide, and an active member of the Loomis Chaffee Athletics Association. 

C.J.’s journey in football began unexpectedly. 

 
“I played flag football when I was younger and never decided to play tackle football until my freshman year of high school,” he explained. “My love for football has been a rollercoaster, with many ups and downs. I went into it having absolutely no idea what anything meant schematically and was completely open to learn anything I could every day at practice.” 

That openness quickly turned into passion. “What grew my interest in football was the idea that every day I could go to practice and learn something new or improve on something,” he said. “This is still true now. Every day, I look forward to going to practice, learning something new, and competing with my guys.” 

Despite the challenges and steep learning curve, C.J. never wavered.  
“I never had a thought about quitting,” he said. “Each year, I have gone into football with a different mindset and approach to what I think I’ll get out of the season. What has kept me going is continuing to learn and compete for playing time, being optimistic every year, and using every season as a fresh start to grow as both a player and a person.” 

Looking back on his four years, C.J. sees a clear evolution in team culture.  
“This year, I feel like it has been the most that the whole team has put aside themselves and all been locked in to holding each other accountable and doing the little things to work towards all of our goals as a team,” he reflected.  

“Compared to when I first joined, it felt like each year was a different team with a bunch of new guys coming in and having their own impacts,” he continued. “This year has been the year with the most returning guys coming back, which is definitely translating.” 

Asked to sum up his Loomis athletics experience in three words, C.J. said: 
“Eventful, dedication, discipline.”