Lions football team treats Royal Heights' kids with a pre-game visit

Aug. 30—At 6'4" and 205 pounds, Missouri Southern State University senior receiver Ezekiel Lang towered over the kindergartners and first graders he was visiting, as did other members of the football team on Wednesday at Royal Heights Elementary School.

But the difference in stature between Lang and his fans only served to take him back to the time as a young child when he realized that the people he idolized cared enough about him to take time to visit.

"This really brings back a lot of memories," Lang said with a smile. "I remember when I was in their shoes. I remember the guys that used to come when I was little and I said, 'I want to be just like him.'"

Those connections began when Lang was a boy but still are a part of his life.

"These are actually people I watched as I grew up and still see them outside of football now," he said.

The visit, which also featured running back Nathan Glades, quarterback Luke Sampson, receiver Isaiah Green and defensive back Shadon Shannon, along with Lion cheerleaders Lilly Westhoff and Espn Crockett, was the first of what will be visits to Joplin schools the day before each MSSU home football game. Players handed out game tickets and some kicked the ball around a while with the younger set.

The visits are a joint effort between MSSU Head Coach Atiba Bradley and Southern's Director of Football Operations Rylee Hartwell.

"The idea behind this is for the Missouri Southern football team to be able to build a better relationship between the city of Joplin and the Missouri Southern campus," Hartwell said. "By doing this, our goal is to really show these young kids that we are just as much a part of the community as they are, that we are invested in the community and we are cheering them on just like we want them to cheer us on."

Hartwell said these visits don't just benefit the local school kids, but the MSSU athletes as well.

"We think our guys get more out of this than the kids do sometimes," Hartwell said. "These are some of the best memories they share on Senior Day when they tell us about the different things that they enjoyed during their time here. These school visits always come up. These are at the top of the list of things they say they looked forward to."

Hartwell also said it wasn't difficult getting players to buy into the idea of visiting local schools.

"A few years ago when we started this, I had to ask guys to come to this," Hartwell said. "Now I have guys come to me and ask to come to this."

He said he hopes these visits play a role in bringing the Joplin and MSSU communities together.

"Overall, we just want to say that we are a part of this community. We're committed to Joplin and committed to being a part of building a culture of football in this town and in this area," Hartwell said. "We know that we have to be present and show up to do that."

For Lion quarterback Luke Sampson, the event was also an opportunity to revisit his youth.

"It's awesome to come out here and see the kids," Sampson said. "Going out and being with them at recess reminds me of where it all started for me — playing football out there (on the playground.)

Royal Heights Principal Bre Faircloth reflected on what the visit meant to her kids.

"They have been super excited," she said. It was really awesome to connect Joplin schools and the Missouri Southern community. Hopefully, we can pump them up and get them to some games. Even if they don't go to the games, they still know that they have people in the community that want to come to their school and support them and see them."

Eight-year-old Braelyn Beatty, who said she hopes to someday be a college cheerleader, shared her thoughts on the visit.

"I thought it was really cool that the football players could come to our school," Beatty said. "I'm a cheerleader and I cheer for football players, so I technically see them every single day,"

And as the Lions' MIAA opener against No. 5 Northwest Missouri State looms, the event also gave the players a fun diversion.

"It's nice to get your mind off it and everything," Sampson said. "But we are definitely really focused on the game and we feel good about it — we're excited."

Lang also shared his thoughts on week one.

"I'm excited, to be honest. It's been a long time. We haven't played in nine or 10 months, so I'm very excited."