Before they play under the Friday Night Lights this season, 46 athletes from nine schools in Louisiana came to the Ochsner Sports Performance Center and kicked off the season at our first High School Football Media Day in partnership with the Ochsner Andrews Sports Medicine Institute.
The players participated in interviews and photo sessions as well as listened to a chalk talk with Saints legend Devery Henderson about his football journey.
For Willow junior wide receiver Ahmad Vappie, it was an honor to be selected as one of five to represent his school and teammates at the event.
“For me I take it as an accomplishment showing I am a good leader, but then also I’m still here representing the rest of my school,” Vappie said. “It’s not just me. I got five other guys all here for the same goal, to get better and even if you brought any of our other teammates from down to seniors, juniors, sophomores, freshmen, we all got the same goal. We’re all going to say the same thing. We all want to win.”
The nine schools that participated were Brother Martin, Chalmette, Holy Cross, John Ehret, L.W. Higgins, St. Augustine, St. Martin’s Episcopal School, The Willow School and West St. John.
Every school expressed excitement that they were finally getting the chance to take their summer of hard work and put it to the test on the field when the season kicks off. The players were eager to take on school rivals and run back narrow defeats from the previous season.