KINGSLEY— “This is a community of Kingsley state championship,” head coach Tim Wooer exclaimed on Friday night.
Friday, the village of Kingsley gathered to celebrate the football program’s second-ever state championship win. The players were awarded their medals for all of their accomplishments along the way. Also celebrated on Friday were the water and ball boys, team moms, coaches, media members, and everyone else who helps the team run smoothly.
Kingsley, community, and family were all used interchangeably throughout the night.
One family potentially understands that more than others.
Jessica Bott, mother of junior Chase Bott, has been able to watch her son grow through Kingsley football her whole life. He has now been a part of both of Kingsley’s state championships, Jessica was pregnant with him in 2005, when she was on the Kingsley sideline at Ford Field as a team trainer.
“It was different for me this time being on the other side of it... being in the stands you have that same feeling of being in a big atmosphere, but I just had different things to worry about,” she said. “Rather than injuries I was more worried about the game. It was awesome to be on both sides.”
The Kingsley community also uplifted the Bott family in 2019, when now-Kingsley coach, Connor Schueller’s mom, Trina, passed from COVID-19 complications. Not only was Trina a mother to a then-player on the 2019 team, but she was also Jessica’s aunt.
“I don’t ever think I’ve seen a better example of family. We’ve gone through a lot of hard times in Kingsley,” Bott said. “The support and the community rallying around our family and Connor, it’s just amazing.”
In Saturday’s state final, Bott got to celebrate with the Kingsley community when Chase got into the endzone at Ford Field. On the Stags’ first snap of the fourth quarter, quarterback Gavyn Merchant found Bott for a 35-yard touchdown.
“Oh my gosh. When Chase got his touchdown the whole crowd went wild. I was jumping up and down and screaming. As a mother you just feel so excited for your child to have that huge achievement, not only to be there, but to get the touchdown, it was just amazing.”
