DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) – The Northside Methodist football program is finding new life this season under its first-year Head Coach Marc Sieving, thanks in part to a senior who’s never played the sport before.

At the start of the year, the Knights had just 16 players on their roster. Now, that number has grown to 26, and senior Harrison Brown has played a key role in helping build the team’s foundation.

Brown, who had never played football until this year, said he felt called to share his passion for the game with his classmates.

“I really talked about how much I enjoyed football, and how important it was to me,” said Brown. ”And I talked about how much I enjoyed Coach Sieving, and how just happy I was to have him on the team, and really just gave my testimony.”

One of his close friends, J.D. Webb, a longtime football player, joined him during the speech — a moment they both say made an impact.

“So I had just gotten back from Wallace and just walked in the door, and Harry walked up to me and said, ‘You want to do a speech?’ And I was like, ‘Sure.’ So we had no clue what to say, but God really spoke to me and him, and I think we inspired some players to play,” said Webb.

Brown said football has done more than fill his schedule — it’s changed his life.

“I mean, it’s really shaped my confidence, my leadership skills, and just the overall friendships around school that I never would have had,” admitted Brown. “And it’s just really helped me grow a bond with the school, and it makes me never want to forget about it.”

Both Brown and Webb say the team now shares an unbreakable bond and a “never quit” mentality.

Even with the increased roster, the Knights faced early nerves as they headed into the season.

“We were pretty nervous going into the season. When we first had those 16 players, we didn’t really know what we were going to do. But after we got as many players, we’d have felt a lot safer,” said Brown.

While the Knights are still searching for their first win, Sieving’s focus — and Brown’s leadership — have helped rebuild the program’s foundation through teamwork, energy, and camaraderie.

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