Rockhurst, Chiefs share connection

Rockhurst and the Chiefs seem to be inseparable. Whether it’s from the students with family connections or the fanatical seniors who brought the Tomahawk Chop to the student section, the red and yellow is a uniting force between everyone who loves sports at the Rock.

Whatever the connection to the team might be, it has proven to be stronger than any record the team produces. Students are still ecstatic about the game even when the Chiefs haven’t won one. And lets be honest, although this year the Chiefs went on a small winning-streak, overall they haven’t given us much to cheer about.

A few members of the Rockhurst community have a deeper connection with the team than the fans do.

Junior Isaac Zorn just moved to Kansas City from Virginia a few months ago because his dad, Mr. Jim Zorn, is the new quarterbacks coach for the Chiefs. He came from being the Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach last year, and served as head coach for the Washington Redskins for a couple years before that.

“Being the son of an NFL coach has its benefits, like meeting all the players. But it can be really stressful when the team loses, having to answer all the questions and the chance of having to move at any point during the year,” Zorn said.

And the Zorns have had their fair share of moving over the years. The teams they’ve been a part of include Detroit, Seattle, Washington, Baltimore, and now Kansas City. Isaac’s favorite player is Tim Tebow, although Dwayne Bowe and Ray Rice come in a close second and third respectively. Compared to other schools, Zorn says Rockhurst far exceeds the high school fan bases of other cities.

“The Chiefs fan base at Rockhurst compared to my other schools supports the team a lot better than any other school I’ve attended. At other schools I’ve even been pushed into lockers or beat up because of the team,” Zorn said.

Mr. Scott Duschen, assistant principal for student affairs, also has a close connection with the Chiefs. He has worked as a ticket counter on Sundays for the past twenty-three years. He took the job after they hired Marty Schottenheimer, hoping to see a reverse in the losing trend of the decade before.

Although the Chiefs still haven’t been to a Superbowl since 1969, Mr. Duschen thinks the team has a pretty good fan base at the Rock. Part of the reason he loves the job is the people he gets to see.

“I see a lot of the guys at the games,” Mr Duschen said. “I see a lot of the alums at the games too, so it’s always fun to see them there.”

Freshman Trent Green Jr. also has a name the Rockhurst community recognizes. He is indeed the son of former Chiefs quarterback Trent Green, who played in what our generation knows as the glory years with Priest Holmes and Tony Gonzalez.

“When my dad was the Chiefs quarterback it was crazy,” Green Jr. said. “People would always walk up to my dad and ask for autographs and stuff.”

That strong fanhood hasn’t stopped since Trent Green Sr. has left the spotlight.

“The Chiefs have a good fan base here too. There are a lot of good fans that go to the games and you can always hear the guys talking about the upcoming game during the week,” Green Jr. said.

Green Jr. is well on his way of following the footsteps of his father. He was the starting freshman A team quarterback and hopes to make junior varsity as a sophomore. His goal is to one-day play quarterback in the National Football League, preferably of course, for the Chiefs.

After a rough start and suffering from bad injuries, the Chiefs are still potentially in the playoff hunt. If they win their next four games, they could still make the playoffs, surely to the delight of the majority of the Rockhurst community.

Zorn said it best: “Just stay faithful guys, stay faithful.”

 

Tags Arrowhead Chiefs football Green Hawklets kansas city Scott Zac Hardwick Zorn