American Leadership is not the new kid on the block anymore. 

The Patriots are entering their third year of varsity competition, and head coach Kemper Amick is expecting bigger and better things from his group. 

“I think we've progressed, and we'll be better than last year,” Amick said. “We played a very young bunch the first couple of years, and then this year, we got a pretty good group of seniors and some young guys to go with. Maturity plays a lot into me thinking that that will be better.” 

To Amick, improvement doesn’t necessarily have to be massive. He’s not asking his team to be state championship contenders just yet, but he is asking them to buy in and try their hardest. 

If they do that, the wins and losses will sort themselves out. 

“When you're starting out with a program, it could just be the smallest movement towards positivity,” he said. “You just gotta get everybody believing what you're trying to do with a new school.” 

Building a program isn’t just about getting the players on board. The Patriots also have to build a fanbase and earn that community buy-in. 

The team is also playing without facilities many other schools have. American Leadership still doesn’t have its own stadium or gym yet, but they are currently in the works and could be done as early as this school year. 

Once the community and the facilities are built, the Patriots can operate like a legitimate varsity football program. 

“I think when that’s complete, that will make a tremendous difference,” Amick said. 

Players to watch 

American leadership will return many key players from the 2025 squad.

Leonard Pressley is at the center of the offense. He is the Patriots’ all-time leader in passing, receiving and rushing touchdowns. He also plays defense as a safety. 

Pressley will be the starting quarterback this season. 

Backing him up is sophomore Ryan Campbell. Amick said he has a bright future ahead of him and will get some run this season. 

In the backfield, Ted Rowe and Swansea transfer Kevon Scott will take the majority of carries. Amick is excited about this duo as he feels it's the first time the team has had a true running back duo. 

The offensive line is made up of returners Gevin Robertson, Kyler Long and Ayden Mitchum. They’ll lead a unit that also includes younger players such as Weston Hill and Noah Welborn. 

Caleb Sanders will play tight end and some defense. He led the team in snaps last year, playing both sides of the ball. 

Linebacker Chris Parnell is the defensive leader. He was a unanimous All-Region selection in 2025. 

Greg Kempson will make some noise from the defensive tackle position, and in the secondary, Matthew Taylor is returning from an injury last season. 

2026 schedule

Week 0 - Aug. 21 - at Cardinal Newman

Week 1 - Aug. 28 - vs. Camden Military

Week 2 - Sept. 4 - BYE

Week 3 - Sept. 11 - at Spartanburg Day

Week 4 - Sept. 18 - at Academic Magnet

Week 5 - Sept. 25 - at Buford

Week 6 - Oct. 2 - at Saluda*

Week 7 - Oct. 9 - at Strom Thurmond*

Week 8 - Oct. 16 - vs. Silver Bluff*

Week 9 - Oct. 23 - vs. Orangeburg-Wilkinson* 

Week 10 - Oct. 30 - at Pelion*

Note: (*) indicates a game against a region opponent