Cullen Johnson has been a football fan his entire life.
For the first two years in high school, the junior at TrekNorth had his fandom limited to the TV screen or as an audience member.
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But this season, he finally got a shot to get out on the field.
TrekNorth introduced a flag football program this fall, led by teachers 鈥� and coaches 鈥� Jerry Snow and Spencer Udeen.
鈥淟ast year, middle of first semester, we all found out that we鈥檙e going to have a football team 鈥� I was really excited, pumped,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been awesome, (the) coaches have been really good, everyone鈥檚 been positive, (so) nice, encouraging to others.鈥�
Inaugural season
Behind TrekNorth stretches a long, green field. If you鈥檝e driven past it after school in recent weeks, it鈥檚 likely been occupied by a large group of students running blocking, passing and receiving drills, or converging to hear a message from Snow.
That鈥檚 the Sundogs鈥� flag football team. In the midst of a six-week inaugural season, they meet after school to train and prepare for Fridays, where it holds intrasquad scrimmages to apply the previous week鈥檚 practice.
鈥淚 actually love it so much,鈥� sophomore Logan Wellnitz said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been really hyped about it so much, I really love football. 鈥� It shows that you can work with a team, get really into that.鈥�
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The flag football team has been an introduction to the sport of football and team sports in general for many of the students.
For the coaching staff, that means instilling not only the fundamentals of football but also the sportsmanship and attitude that comes with playing a team sport.
鈥�(When) we started, most of these kids haven鈥檛 played a real high school team sport,鈥� Udeen said. 鈥淭hey came out and they鈥檙e just used to being negative towards each other. From day one, (Snow) started off right away 鈥� we鈥檙e not doing that. As you see every day, we鈥檙e going, we鈥檙e clapping each other, we鈥檙e positive all the time. 鈥� Just tons of (excitement), everything, every single day.鈥�
The response from the student body has been impressive. Nearly 30 students, both boys and girls, have joined 鈥� an impressive number, especially considering TrekNorth鈥檚 smaller student body compared to other area high schools.
鈥淓very day in the classroom, they come 鈥� 鈥榝ootball practice, football practice,鈥欌�� Udeen said. 鈥淚n the field, they鈥檙e running, they鈥檙e screaming. They come, they鈥檙e sore - 鈥楢m I doing it right?鈥� Yeah, you鈥檙e doing it right, you鈥檙e supposed to be sore.鈥�
鈥淚 love it, every single time I鈥檓 on the field, I love it,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun, it鈥檚 something to do in the fall after school 鈥� (I) wish it went longer.鈥�
TrekNorth has a few other sports teams, including Nordic skiing and track.
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It was the taekwondo club, though, that inspired Snow to bring in flag football and offer a more traditional team sport for the school.
鈥淚 just realized how much of a benefit an activities program can be,鈥� Snow said. 鈥淭here's a lot of things we get there that aren鈥檛 in a traditional high school, we have a lot of experiential education, a lot of outdoor education, do a lot of field trips, a lot of service work. 鈥� But (we) don鈥檛 have the team sport, the traditional team sports. So after taekwondo started, I just suggested, 鈥楲et鈥檚 try football.鈥欌��
In addition to the positive student response, Snow has already seen benefits in the classroom from some of the students.
鈥淩odney Defoe is definitely becoming a leader and that translates to the classroom,鈥� Snow said. 鈥淚 have Rodney in one of my classes and I absolutely see a difference. His table will be doing a lab or something, and one of his tablemates will be screwing around 鈥� two months ago, Rodney would be right there with them. Now, it鈥檚 like 鈥楬ey, let鈥檚 get this done, let鈥檚 get this done.鈥欌��
Looking forward
TrekNorth鈥檚 flag football program has received plenty of interest from the student body. But this foray into the sport could be just the beginning for the school.
Snow and Udeen are hoping to create a nine-man varsity program that can compete with other area schools.
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鈥淭his is the foundation, this is laying the groundwork for that nine-man varsity status,鈥� Snow said. 鈥淭he school and the community wanted to see what kind of reaction there was from the kids as we developed the program. Before they said 鈥極K, this is going to work,鈥� I think we鈥檝e shown them that there鈥檚 enough interest from the kids.鈥�
Taking that next step will take a lot of work 鈥� and money.
Football is a famously expensive sport, and to participate in varsity competitions against other area schools, TrekNorth needs to purchase all the necessary equipment and gear to meet the state鈥檚 guidelines.
Plus, varsity football requires a yearly operational budget.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 get anything from the school and the budget is $32,000,鈥� Snow said. 鈥淪o we need $32,000 by next year, next May or whatever the next fiscal year is in order for us to be able to afford the equipment, to apply for varsity status.鈥�
However, this year鈥檚 flag football team has already laid some of the financial groundwork.
A group of parents have created a booster club for the program. Josh and Tera Nelson are a couple of the leaders who have been 鈥渇undamental鈥� in crafting the club and provide financial support for the young program.
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鈥淭his booster club has been working nonstop,鈥� Snow said. 鈥淲e have a concession stand here by the booster club. We have fundraisers put on by the booster club, and all this equipment is purchased by the booster club. The paint for the field is the booster club.鈥�
That support from the booster club and the TrekNorth community will be essential to create and sustain a nine-man varsity team at the school.
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