LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. — Before the Kansas City Chiefs' Austin Reiter was at the center of the action in the NFL, he was part of the Lakewood Ranch Mustang’s football program.
- Lakewood Ranch grad to play in Super Bowl
- Austin Reiter known as a leader on his high school team
- Reiter has started all 16 games for Chiefs this season
Reiter graduated from Lakewood Ranch High School in 2010 and went on to play college football at the University of South Florida.
This weekend, he will be back in Florida in Super Bowl LIV facing off against the San Francisco 49ers.
This season, Reiter has been the starting center in all 16 games.
It’s been an inspiring season for the current Lakewood Ranch High School football team.
“It’s very cool that someone who came Lakewood Ranch is going to be playing in the Super Bowl,” said Thio Doerges, a junior at Lakewood Ranch High.
Mick Koczersut was the offensive line coach during Reiter’s final season with the team in 2009.
“It’ll be pretty neat to be sitting with my friends on Sunday night and say, ‘Hey, I coached him!’” he said.
Koczersut said Reiter was both outgoing and a team leader during his time as a Mustang. While Koczersut said he knew Reiter had the drive and physical ability to go far, his height was an issue for some college programs.
“Some schools were shying away from him because he was 6’ 3’’ and the magic number seems to be 6’ 4’’,” Koczersut said. “He really only ended up getting two solid offers, one from USF and one from Wake Forest, and obviously it worked out well for him.”
Many Lakewood Ranch students say they are looking forward to rooting for one of their own on Sunday night.
“I would love to see the Chiefs win,” said Garrett Mancini, a senior.
“I was never really a Chiefs fan until this year, but with Austin there it’ll be hard not to root for him,” Koczersut added.
The Kansas City Chiefs will play the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.