BELLEVUE, Ky. — A northern Kentucky high school football team had its season cut short by a high number of injuries to its roster, which was already low on players. But now the local police department and other community partners are stepping up to give the team one more chance to leave everything out on the field.
In Bellevue, it will be cops versus Tigers next Friday, Oct. 21.
Of course, there’s nothing quite like playing under Friday night lights. Unless high school football players are fortunate enough to move on to play at the next level, the last game of their senior season is where that journey ends for most.
That last chance at glory was stolen from the Bellevue Tigers, or so it seemed, as Bellevue High School Director of Operations Jim Hicks explained.
“Really it came out of the blue. It was just a series of injuries. Low numbers to start the season, for the second year in a row. And we just kept suffering injury after injury after injury. Before the game last week early in the week, we found out we were gonna have 15 guys at most healthy to be able to play. Two of those playing with casts,” said Hicks, whose responsibilities include athletic director, and coach of the boys' basketball team. “So we were just really up against it. With so many freshmen on the team, we just felt like for their safety, we had to make that difficult decision to cut short our season.”
With three more regular season games left on the schedule, the Tigers season was over, affecting not just the football players, but cheerleaders, band members, and opposing teams as well.
The whole situation didn’t sit right with Bellevue Police Chief Jon McClain, who got in touch with Hicks.
“I just thought, man these kids don’t even get this. They didn’t even know that their last game was their last game. They find out mid week. Hey you guys already played your last game. I’m like that’s such a low note to go out on,” McClain said. “Every Bellevue football game is just packed with the community. I mean, people that their kids don’t even play football anymore come out. So it affected the whole town.”
McClain said he got to accompany his nephew to a father-son event put on two years ago when his nephew played high school football in Boone County. Thinking back to that event gave him an idea.
“I was thinking, what if we challenge them to a flag football game, or something of that sort? Let them go out on a high note,” McClain said.
Hicks was all in.
“We jumped at the opportunity and couldn’t be thankful enough to let our kids walk off the field one more time,” he said.
The planning began. Now, the Tigers will get one more crack at it this season against the city’s police officers. They’ll team up with other city workers and community members to play the Tigers in a flag football game.
Restaurants have called, offering to provide food after the game. People have made monetary donations, including two anonymous residents, McClain said, who offered to cover all costs to put on the game.
The Bellevue Barbershop was the first business to reach out, Hicks said. Its staff members will be among those playing for the police department’s team.
“Friday, my phone did not stop going off. I was getting phone calls from people, hey this is great, text messages,” McClain said. “Everybody wants to be a part of this. And it’s great. It’s great for these kids, and it’s great for the community. I expected great things from the community, but this has gone far beyond what I expected. It’s been outstanding. I couldn’t be more proud of the businesses and people in this community than I am right now.”
The police chief left zero doubt he would play in the game himself.
“Oh I'll be out there. Absolutely. I’ll be out there,” he said, laughing.
Given the immense response, McClain said there’s been conversation about making the game an annual tradition.
While it’s not the ending to the season the team imagined, Hicks described what he thinks the game will mean to the players.
“Hopefully a lot. It doesn’t replace that feeling of playing on a Friday night. But it’s going to give them something. Since this happened so abruptly, they didn’t have that chance of closure,” he said. “Everybody’s career ends at some point. And not knowing that was gonna be the case when they played their last game, this gives them something to hold onto for the rest of their lives.”
The game will be free to attend. Concessions will also be free, but donations will be accepted.
Hicks and McClain said they want as many people as possible to come out and support the team one last time this season.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21 at Gilligan Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The game will feature two 25-minute halves with a running clock, and a 10-minute halftime. Cheerleaders, band members and an announcer will join in the fun.