Prospect's impressive drive continues at Shriners Hospital

In football terms, Prospect is looking at fourth-and-goal from the 1.

Coach Mike Sebestyen will take about 35 of his players to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago on Friday to present a check to that organization for $15,000. That will set the total contribution the Knights football team has made to $95,200 over the last seven seasons.

That's awfully close to the goal of reaching $100,000 before Jeremy Potratz, a junior at Prospect this school year, graduates.

"At this point, it's really not a question of whether we'll reach our number," Sebestyen said. "We're going to get it done."

Jeremy Potratz's twin sister, Alyssa, is the inspiration behind all the extra effort.

Her sudden passing in the summer of 2008 had quite an effect on then-coach Brent Pearlman, who was moved when he learned of Alyssa's death and how the Potratz family had been affected.

In a community that thrives on football, the Potratz family was deeply involved in Knights Nation long before Jeremy had reached high school. Alyssa, too, was a huge fan of the program, and the Potratz family lives right next to the high school. Parents Dan and Maria Potratz had already been firmly on board as Prospect supporters.

So in the 2009 season, the Knights began taking a significant portion of their fundraising results and setting it aside for the Shriners Hospital as a way to honor Alyssa, and to help other families facing health challenges.

Like many teams, Prospect's football team uses a discount card system to raise money. The Knights also gather pledges from the community for an annual Lift-A-Thon.

Over time, the efforts have steadily gained momentum. And the percentage of Prospect's total fundraising effort sent to Shriners has also risen; now it's up to about 20 percent of the team's total earnings.

Sebestyen has regularly led his players on a trip to the hospital to present the yearly donation, and the Knights/Shriners partnership has proven to be a winner on every level.

"I think it's unique for a couple of reasons," said Sebestyen. "No. 1, it gives our players a bigger picture than just being on the football team, or even what you're going to find within the four walls of your high school.

"The other thing is that by visiting the hospital, you get to see what you're doing for these young men and women that are facing these challenges. Our kids get to understand that maybe there are those who don't always have the same opportunities as we do - there are people who are facing potential limitations in their lives and really have a lot of things they have to overcome. And they are meeting those challenges."

All of which tends to put something like practicing hard or getting ready for the big game in a different, more manageable light.

"That really is another benefit," Sebestyen said. "When our kids have a tough game coming up, it's the kind of thing that they know they can handle. It's not even a question."

It's been especially rewarding for Sebestyen to see the direct involvement Jeremy Potratz has had in all this.

Due to an injury last fall to standout kicker Jack Pruban, Potratz took over the place-kicking duties for the Knights.

Pruban, also a junior, is expected to resume his kicking duties next fall. But Sebestyen has no doubt Potratz will find a major way to contribute.

In that way, he's exactly the kind of athlete Prospect is hoping to produce.

"He's not a big kid, but he fights his tail off," Sebestyen said. "I have this talk with our guys every year, I tell them, 'You are a role model in this community. People watch you - they want to know how you behave, how you're representing your last name and how you're representing the 'P' on the side of your helmet.'

"All of that really matters here. It's not just about how much you win - although it is important that you take that effort seriously."

On all of those levels, Potratz and his teammates are more than meeting their challenge, and the evidence is the $100,000 goal that's just inches away. Expect the Prospect/Shriners connection to remain, even after the Knights punch it into the end zone.

And with the example that's been set in Alyssa Potratz's honor, giving back will always be a central part of the Prospect gameplan.

"I'm proud to say I have the opportunity," said Sebestyen, "to work with young men who care about that factor."