ALTON – Ask Alton High School senior wide receiver Ke
vin Caldwell, Jr. about his team’s successful 2017 football season, and he’ll tell you one thing.
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“It was pretty good,” Caldwell said summing up the year overall after the Redbirds’ season ended in a loss to New Lenox Lincoln-Way West in the second round of the IHSA Class 7A playoffs at Public School Stadium. “We bought into what coach (Eric Dickerson) was preaching, and we had a good season.”
And for a program that had gone a combined 1-17 in Caldwell’s previous two seasons, he has a favorite memory of the just concluded campaign.
“Just seeing us celebrate winning,” Caldwell said. “Just winning, that’s the most important thing. We’ve been losing a lot, a lot of downs. We had a lot of ups this season; we changed the foundation and turned the city around.”
That support from the City of Alton certainly meant a lot to Caldwell and his teammates. The Alton grandstand was overflowing, with some fans sitting on the grassy hills next to the stands as the community embraced its high school’s football team.
“It was nice to see all the people here,” Caldwell said. “It meant a lot to see all those people here and supporting us.”
Another favorite memory of Caldwell’s is seeing his teammates succeed.
“I’d probably have to say watching my teammates score,” Caldwell said with a smile and laugh. “I like it when my guys score. I like it when I score too, but I like blocking for them, and celebrate with them.
“All the good times at practice, goofing around,” Caldwell also said. “Just being around the team, most importantly.”
And with the foundation set for a winning tradition at Alton, Caldwell will also have another special memory of them.
“Probably have to say team dinners,” Caldwell said with another smile. “We do a lot of team dinners, and practice, and we go hard. Practice, that’s what’s going to be what I miss a lot. We went at each other a lot in practice, just being around them is once in a lifetime. Had a lot of fun this year.”
And for Kevin Caldwell, Jr., there was a lot of fun in helping his Redbird team enjoy well-deserved success, and laying a foundation for a great future for Alton High football.
