High school football team kneels in prayer, not protest. 'We got to come together.'

While dropping to a knee before a football game in demonstration has become controversial, no one has argued Doug Severe's request to take one after the final buzzer.

For five weeks, win or lose, the Beyer High football team (2-3) has huddled with members of the opposing team in prayer following the game. Severe, a lifelong Patriot, believes the moment of reflection and praise helps ground the players and coaches, cooling the competitive juices that run hot for 48 minutes.

"It's something I wanted to do this year," Severe told the crowd at the Modesto Quarterback Club, a weekly noontime luncheon at Coach's Corner, 950 East Oakdale Road, Suite E.

"It's difficult to do when you a lose a game, but it's something that has been tugging at my heartstrings. We've been praying for both teams. I think it's a key thing to do with the situation our country is in right now."

Severe's comment followed a polarizing tweet by President Donald Trump, which took aim at NFL players, including Pitman High graduate and free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who have chosen to sit or kneel during the National Anthem.

Trump tweeted: "Wouldn't you love to see one of those NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a b---- off the field right now. He is fired.'"

The tweet has galvanized the NFL, which saw its players, coaches and team officials lock arms, kneel or remain in the locker room during the anthem over the weekend. Meanwhile, the topic has become a source of great debate around the country, stirring up political unrest.

"With everything going on in our society, with the election of the new president, we need to put things aside and come together," Severe said. "It's important for the kids to realize it's just a game. It's not the end of the world. It's about trying to teach them life lessons through this game. You can battle and fight hard, but when it's over ... it's over.

"We can have disagreements on different political things, as well, but we got to come together as a unit."

Severe is a devout Christian, but insists he isn't trying to convert non-believers. He is simply casting blessings over the members of both programs.

"If someone doesn't want to do it, that's fine," Severe said. "I'm a Christian and I believe we need to let our light shine, so it's been on my heart to do this. I pray for the protections of the kids and the coaches, that they'll continue to work hard and make good decisions.

"Sometimes, I think there's too much of an emphasis on winning. Trust me, I love winning, but at this stage of my life, I'm where I'm supposed to be as a mentor to young adults."

If nothing else, Severe hopes the postgame prayer teaches the players and coaches to come together despite their differences.

It worked on Friday, when Severe and the Patriots knelt with Gregori following a 42-14 loss in their Modesto Metro Conference opener. At the Quarterback Club meeting, Gregori coach Jason McCoy praised Severe for his consistency and thoughtfulness.

"Their kids fight hard. Our kids fight hard," Severe said. "After the game, it's over, and we've got to remember it's just a game. We need to come together just as our country should. ... Maybe high school kids can be role models for the adults in our society. We need something to pull us together, not apart."

To contact reporter James Burns, email jburns@modbee.com, or follow him on Twitter @jburns1980.

This story was originally published September 26, 2017 at 1:51 PM with the headline "High school football team kneels in prayer, not protest. 'We got to come together.'."