The Apalachee High School football team attended Atlanta Falcons practice on Friday as the local NFL team hosted student-athletes from Winder, Georgia a little more than one week after a school shooting devastated the community. The shooting last Wednesday killed two 14-year old students and two teachers, including Richard Aspinwall, an assistant coach on the Apalachee football team.
The Falcons honored victims of the shooting with Apalachee High School T-Shirts in pre-game warmups and a moment of silence before their Week 1 opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and on Friday welcomed the school's football team and head coach Mike Hancock as they prepared for their Week 2 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.
For the Falcons, the school shooting hit fairly close to home: Apalachee High School is just 20 miles away from the team's training facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia, and 45 miles from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.
Falcons outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter, who lives in Winder, spoke of the importance of supporting the school and its students beyond the initial shock of the shooting as they attempt to cope and carry on.
"Once the spotlight leaves, those kids will still be going through their scars and still have to relive that day," Carter said in an interview with the Falcons' official website. "The more we can do, the more consistent we can stay there and keep giving them mentors, counselors and support, that's what's really going to matter."
The Falcons are looking to bounce back in Week 2 after opening their season with an 18-10 loss to Pittsburgh last Sunday.