BRADENTON, Fla. — Many at Lakewood Ranch High School will be rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday because one of their own is playing in the big game.
Austin Reiter plays center for the Kansas City Chiefs. They will face the San Francisco 49ers in Superbowl LIV in Miami on Sunday.
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But before all of that, Reiter was a Lakewood Ranch Mustang.
"It was 10 years ago right out here. There’s a kid who is playing this Sunday who played right out here on Fridays," said former coach Mick Koczersut.
Reiter went to Lakewood Ranch and graduated in 2010.
"We just remember on film there was a play where he ended up going ahead and pancaking three separate guys on one play and that’s when I was like, 'Ok, he not only has the physical stuff but he has the mental toughness that it’s going to take to play this position,'" said Koczersut.
Now, the entire community of Lakewood Ranch is inspired.
"It's definitely motivational thinking that you can actually make your dreams come true. Like that’s a dream come true for me to be in the Super Bowl," said Dylan Bennett, a Lakewood Ranch senior.
And from a coaching standpoint, Koczersut says its a dream come true for him as well.
"Whenever you get a kid who gets to live a dream like that. It’s part of what you do," said Koczersut. "It’ll be pretty great to sit with my friends on Sunday night and say, 'Hey, I coached him.'"
The Kansas City Chiefs will play the San Fransisco 49ers on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
