It’s February. It’s 28 degrees outside, students are scraping ice off their windshields, and the football team already has heat on their chests for the fall 2022 football season, after going 10-0, then falling short to a conference rival in the playoffs.  

Coach Caleb Keeton has been the first to act on this unfortunate upset to Winton Woods. Keeton started a Thursday morning Leadership class in hopes to raise the players leadership abilities on and off the field.

“I hope they allow themselves to raise our standard. We are blessed at Kings to have a great tradition of winning. We want to take the next step. To push the boundaries on and off the field. We believe this leadership class will be an area that propels us forward,” Keeton said.

This class is something that the coaches at Kings have always wanted for their students and athletes. Keeton realized it’s more than wanting this for their students; he thinks it will boost their performances. 

“The idea is to help train our players to become better leaders on and off the field. You hear coaches often describe how coach-led teams can be good, but player-led teams are elite. However, when are coaches or players getting together to become better leaders and learning what it takes to be a great leader for their team? What does that look, feel, and sound like? The goal is to give our players of all grade levels the opportunity to grow as leaders,” Keeton said.Although Keeton deems this necessary for the players, it’s no easy task. He prepares the whole meeting for the players while being a coach and a junior high science teacher. 

“I prepare by looking at the resources I have put together, such as my leadership curriculum,  rewatching videos, and preparing discussion questions for our players, always keeping in mind our cultural beliefs of ‘Love over Everything, Power of the Team, & Choosing to Be Your Best!’ I hope to design lessons and opportunities to share experiences that allow players to grow and learn to lead. Leaders are learners and our hope is we all learn more about one another in an attempt to become a more player-led team,” Keeton said.

Players wonder what benefits they will take away from this meeting, and what they will learn to help their leadership grow in a new and different way than they have always thought about it. 

Keeton emphasized that everyone will take away something different, but he promotes five simple leadership characteristics: encouraging and lifting each other up, holding teammates to a standard, being vocal through all you do, having a presence on the field, and being fully committed to the team. 

Upcoming Senior, Nick Hoying, a linebacker on the team, really enjoys the class and thinks it will positively benefit him and the team.

“We learn the qualities of leadership and share the values we hold and respect. I think this class will strengthen our leadership and brotherhood as a team. It will lead to more trust and accountability,” Hoying said. 

Along with the leadership meeting once a week, the team is lifting three times a week. Striving to be the best they can be for the upcoming season. The team has big goals for the 2022 season. 

“We are pleased with the commitment and effort of our players. They seem focused and determined to take the next step. There are just under 200 days away from the first game, so there is a lot of time for growth if players continue to practice our cultural values,” Keeton said.

At the end of the day the coaches don’t play the game, so the players need to be able to take what they know and put it into the field of play, and to lead each other as a team. 

“We are excited and know we have a target on our back. However, if our players choose to be their best and commit to getting a full year better from last year we will have a lot of great opportunities in front of us. It’s about us trending upwards the whole season and staying focused on our team improving each day,” Keeton said.