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‘Do it for Springs’: Youth football team inspired by coach who died from COVID

CHARLOTTE — Through his words, actions, and prayer, a youth football coach inspired his community and a group of kids to win their championship football game last year.

As the team tries to defend their title this year, things will be different. While their coach and mentor won’t be with them in person, he’s still there in more ways than one.

On a tennis court dabbled with light and shadows, the North Carolina Giants youth football team walked through one final practice. On Sunday, the group of 10- and 11-year-olds from west Charlotte will be heading back to Florida, where they won a national tournament last year -- and hope to do so again.

It’s obvious that the kids and their coaches are excited about the chance to defend their title, but they said they’ll be getting a little help from someone who won’t be making the trip this year -- someone who’s been with them in other ways.

Donald Springs’ celebration after last season’s championship win was pure joy, but it was a joy born of heartbreak.

Springs decided to volunteer to help coach the Giants after his stepdaughter, Kendal Crank, had been killed while caught in the crossfire during a shootout in north Charlotte a year earlier.

Springs said the kids, the players, gave him a reason to go on, and he found joy again. But barely a month after he’d celebrated their big win, Springs died of COVID-19.

The team was devastated.

“That’s the sad part,” said Lucille Puckett.

She has a grandson on the team and said Springs has become their inspiration. They wear his picture on their sweatshirts and play the video of his final team prayer and pep talk before every game.

They’ll be using it again next week as they try to win for the man who’s meant so much, and who left so suddenly.

“That’s what makes this one so much more rewarding,” Puckett told Channel 9. “Because to be able to do it for him, without him -- but he’s still in spirit with the team.”

“He’s with us every game when we’re together,” said head coach Rashad Mackey. “He was such a huge impact on this team. He’s definitely going to be watching.”

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