Christian Jarrett isn’t usually the loudest player on the football field. Instead, he draws attention with his talent.
His skills this season earned him a nod to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl, marking him as one of the best football players in the state.
“It was kind of surreal,” Jarrett said. “I didn’t really expect it to happen.”
Jarrett was chosen from a list of hundreds of players. He was one of only 88 selected from all divisions across the state.
He will be the fourth Cardinal in a row to play in the Shrine Bowl, following in the footsteps of Adrion Seals, Brayden Beerbower and Kale Hammerschmidt.
“I think it’s great,” Jarrett said. “I think I’m building the culture here. I mean, the people before me, like Adrion, Kale, all of them, they really set a tone for us. I mean, it’s great to have somebody to look up to, to really drive you to compete for something like that.”
He said the opportunity will help him better prepare for his future as a college football player. Jarrett already holds a handful of offers from college programs.
“I think it’s going to give me that little bit of motivation just heading into the season, giving me that spark to really get me going during the summer and really lead me into my freshman year,” he said.
The Shrine Bowl selection adds to a list of honors for Jarrett, including being named an all-state and all-league player by multiple media organizations. He was an all-league selection on offense and defense.
Senior Connor Watson shared the defensive backfield with Jarrett this year and said having such a lockdown corner made the whole defense’s job easier. The defense knew that whatever side of the field Jarrett was on was going to be covered. Each game, the team chose the opponent’s best player and had Jarrett guard them.
Watson is teammates with Jarrett in basketball, too, and said he has had a front-row seat to watch Jarrett grow and improve throughout the years as an athlete.
Watson said Jarrett really stepped into his leadership role this year, building on multiple years as a varsity starter to lead younger players by example.
“He took no reps off,” Watson said. “It didn’t matter if he had a bad day or a great day. He always did the same work and put in the work that was necessary. He never skipped a rep. He always was first in line when he came to do drills and show the younger guys stuff.”
Head coach Drew Steffen said Jarrett isn’t as vocal a leader as other seniors, but his poise and determination speak louder than words.
“He’s not gonna be one that goes out of his way to be heard with his voice,” Steffen said. “But he’s a guy that, when he’s on the field, when he’s in the weight room, when he’s doing things that are in competition, he’s one of those leaders by example.”
Jarrett also stepped into more of a role on offense this year, playing as a wide receiver.
“He’s a hard worker in the weight room,” Steffen said. “He understands that there’s times to compete and there’s times to push the envelope, but also when there’s times to lay back and just do kind of what is expected of you. He’s worked for everything he has.”
Jarrett didn’t start playing football until middle school, and found his true passion for it in high school, describing his teammates as a band of brothers.
“I felt like I had somebody to rely on everywhere that I went,” he said. “Even if it was just a little freshman or it was a senior, it was just always somebody there for me. I really felt like it helped me develop a lot.”
Football has taught him to keep pushing no matter what, he said. Watson and Steffen both said they see this in the way Jarrett plays, always giving his best effort no matter the circumstances.
For Jarrett, the Shrine Bowl nod is hopefully just a launching pad for a continued career in football. He learned a lesson from his time in Eudora, especially as a three-year varsity starter, that he knows will serve him well at the next level: No matter your age, be a leader.
“Try to contribute as much as you can, and don’t stay out of the way,” he said. “Try to step up and let everybody know that you’re there and you’re ready.”
