MACON, Ga. — A lot of football teams call themselves a family.
But at Westside High School, it’s the Risper family that has their name all over the Seminoles program.
“To coach all three sons is special and my daughter cheered here,” head coach Sheddrick Risper said. “I have my brother who's my offensive coordinator, my wife who's my water girl, she keeps the kids hydrated. It's just fun to see our entire family together.”
Coach “Spoon,” as he’s known by his team, got to Westside in 1998 and never left.
And while he's had chances to, it's his family that always reminds him of that garnet and gold.
“No matter how much we try to sugarcoat this might be a great opportunity or a great place, we see Westside jerseys hanging over our balcony, hanging up in their rooms,” Risper said. “They go find t-shirts that they've had since they were little and put them all on the floor to let us know, ‘Hey, we don't need to go anywhere.’”
Two of those Rispers are on the team now - quarterback Paul and wide receiver Silas.
It’s a family connection never more special than the first connection on the field between the two of them in the Noles’ season opener against Central.
“There was so much emotion running through my body,” Risper said. “I was happy, kind of wanted to cry but I couldn't let all my football players see the tough ball coach cry.”
“It was very special, living out a childhood dream,” Silas said. “We've been thinking about that moment since we were little kids and I'm just grateful for it.”
What does Westside mean to the Risper boys?
“Westside is everything to me and my family,” Paul said. “Going to the games since I was little, been growing up watching my whole life.”
“When they were five, six years old, we'd come over here and watch everybody practice on the field,” their mother, Demetria Risper, said. “Now that they're actually here it's just hard to believe and I just try to just savor every moment.”
On the field he's Coach Spoon, but at home he's always dad.
Just about the only thing that changes for his boys - are the expectations.
“Dad on the field is really a business,” Silas said. “He's going to be super hard on you, he's going to push you.”
A team they'll never forget - and hopefully a season they won't either.
The Risper family and Westside are one and the same.
“It's rare that a coach gets to coach two sons at the same school,” Coach Risper said. “This is a very special time and a very special team to me.”
The Seminoles improved to 3-0 with a 26-6 win over Morrow on Friday night. They’ll next face Rutland on September 8.