Watkins Mill football might be out of the playoffs, but their season is not quite done yet.  The team will be joined by Montgomery Village police officers to take on Seneca Valley High School and Germantown police officers in the Police and Players Flag Football Game today at 4:30pm.

The game will be held tonight, December 8, in the Watkins Mill stadium. The event will begin at 3pm with food, music, K9 demonstrations, squad, cars, and meet-and-greets with officers. The game will start at 4:30pm with both teams being a mix of football players and police officers.

The game will “allow two different sides to see the other side as who they actually are,” Watkins Mill varsity football head coach Michael Brown said. “As a team [composed] of a majority of African American males who might not trust police officers, they get to see that the are real people and have a common bond over football.”

Brown will be coaching the Watkins Mill and Montgomery Village officers, and this game offers Brown and the team a chance for retribution, after losing to the Screamin’ Eagles earlier in the year. “It is exciting because we lost to them earlier in the season and [we get] another opportunity,” senior Steven Mendez said.

In an attempt to help strengthen the relationship between students and officers, Watkins Mill previously hosted a town hall to discuss racism. This game also aims to help mend the relationship between the two groups, and the team also plans to deliver donuts to officers this weekend.

Although former Watkins Mill coach and alumni Joey Hooks came up with the idea, the event was organized by science teacher Matthew Johnson and Montgomery County Police Officer Rich Reynolds.  Brown hopes the police officers will see that “young minority males are human and love sports,” while strengthening their trust with our community.

“I think it is just going to be a great time for everybody,” Johnson said. “Everybody sees lights and sirens all the time, now you get to see what is behind the scenes.”

The game and events before it today are all free, so dress warm and come cheer on the Wolverines and Montgomery Village police.