KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Most high school football teams around the Kansas City metro are excited for the 2021 season for common reasons like a big game or a star player.
But at Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas, the Wildcats are excited for one simple reason.
"Playing football," said head coach Camron Smith.
Washington and the rest of the student athletes in KCK schools didn't get to play football last season because of COVID-19 restrictions.
"It's been a little bit of time since we played a game at Washington High School," Smith said.
That amount of time is 672 days, to be exact. And the Wildcats didn't just miss all of 2020, they watched the majority of the other schools in the Kansas City area play on.
"It showed me how much I love the sport, seeing other people play the sport that I love," said John Ross, Washington running back/cornerback.
Smith said his team still bonded last year through Zoom meetings and other events. They even had a Madden tournament.
"Just trying to spend time with the guys and trying to make sure they understand there's a mental aspect," Smith said. "Feed the mind as well as the body."
Thankfully, this year the body is back to get fed.
"Everything's making me excited," Ross said. "Just being back on the field, being able to show what i can do. Show everything that we missed out on."