Out of everything that happens this week, Lyndon’s Quinn Kirsop said he might remember Jennifer the most.
She was the one — at 11 or 12 — that he spent the most time with at the Shriners Hospital in St. Louis during the team’s trip there over the weekend.
“We played a little foosball,” Kirsop said with a smile.
Not only that, Jennifer was really good.
And she wouldn’t let Kirsop win. Not even once.
“It was good stuff,” Kirsop said. “It made me realize kids that have these disabilities, they didn’t see themselves as having disabilities. They tried to do everything we were doing.
“It was just an eye-opening experience.”
With his new friend in mind, Kirsop will take the field for the East squad in Saturday’s Shrine Bowl, set for 7 p.m. at Welch Stadium.
The defensive end/linebacker will be the only representative of the Lyon County League on the East squad. Waverly’s Dakota Foster also was chosen for the team but was unable to attend.
Chase County’s Brian Palermo, meanwhile, was selected for the West squad’s roster.
“It’s a real honor to be (playing for) Lyndon and working hard for them and working hard for the whole town,” Kirsop said. “I’m trying to give back to the community a little bit. It’s not directly to the town, it’s to the kids, but I’m sure a lot of people will be here cheering everybody on — not just me, but the whole team.”
Included in that group will be Quinn’s brother Shea, who will be a senior next year at Lyndon High School.
Both players were named to first-team all-league a year ago: Quinn as an offensive lineman and defensive end and Shea as a linebacker.
“He’s excited, though,” Quinn said of Shea. “He’s been going to camps just like I was last year and talking to different schools. Who knows, I might even be playing him in a (college) game next year.”
Quinn will play for Hutchinson Community College in the fall, and he already has been introduced to some of the teammates he will have this season.
From June 1-27, Kirsop attended Hutch football camp along with the other incoming freshmen. While there, he met new players from Florida, Georgia, Ohio and South Carolina.
“You see some new talent,” Kirsop said, “that you don’t usually see around here.”
In Saturday’s game, Kirsop will shift back from his high school position — defensive end — to play linebacker. He also will make the transition to linebacker in college.