Kids and Cats gear up for district
Players visit young fans

Seth Cashion joins some Higgins students in the gym for fun and games. Below, Ryan Maxwell and Brett Carter pose with Mrs. Patterson's pre-K class.

Wildcats prowled the halls of Higgins Intermediate School last week as WHS football players made some new friends and received a boost of support heading into the Friday's district opener against Kilgore.

The young fan base at Higgins is continuing on a fairly new tradition of making good luck cards for the varsity football players and boosting their spirits before each game.

"Each class adopts one or two players," Coach Randy McFarlin said. "The players really look forward to getting their card from their class."

During the team's bye week, each player visited his adopted class.

"They first talked to the students about a variety of topics, which included the importance of making good grades, leadership, character, making good choices, working hard and being a part of a team," McFarlin said. "Students were then given time to ask questions of the players."

Photos/Suzanne Loudamy A young student looks up to varsity Wildcat Hunter Howard, while Jacob Holmen answers questions (below).

One of the most common questions voiced was about the helmets, with the stars for victories, and the cat paws for team awards.

"I like the program, because it helps both parties," McFarlin added. "Our players see just how much they are looked up to as role models. Also the elementar y students have a player that can give them great advice about being successful. Students will listen to our players many times when they will not listen to adults."

New to the program this year is the addition of Tunnel Cats. Each home game, the teachers of each of the adopt-aplayer class will choose two students that have excelled in school, to represent their class as Tunnel Cats. They will get to report to the field at 7:15 p.m. and be announced as they run through the tunnel during the