At Kingswood Oxford, football is about more than touchdowns and tackles. It’s about teamwork, character, and making a difference in others’ lives. On Wednesday, October 21, the Wyverns traded footballs for furniture as they partnered with Hartford-based nonprofit Journey Home to help individuals and families transitioning from homelessness into permanent housing.

The afternoon marked the team’s second community service project this fall, reflecting Head Coach Brandon Batory’s, Class of 2010, commitment to developing not just strong football players, but compassionate, empathetic young men who understand the importance of giving back.

For Batory, exposing his players to the challenges others face is essential to their growth. He wants them to recognize that not everyone enjoys the same opportunities or circumstances and to develop a deeper appreciation for what they have. Just as importantly, he wants them to understand that they have the ability and the responsibility to make a positive impact on others.

Through Journey Home’s A Hand Up program, KO players delivered furniture and household essentials to people across Hartford who are beginning a new chapter in their lives. For many individuals moving out of homelessness, securing housing is just the first step. Turning an empty apartment into a comfortable, welcoming home can be another significant challenge.

The program connects donated furniture and household goods with individuals and families who often enter their new homes with little more than the belongings they can carry. By providing essential furnishings, the organization helps ease the financial burden of starting over while giving people a greater sense of comfort, stability, and dignity.

But the experience was about more than moving furniture. Batory also sees these service projects as powerful team-building opportunities that require the same collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills his players rely on during a game.

After all, how do you maneuver a massive sectional sofa up several flights of stairs or navigate a narrow hallway with an oversized piece of furniture? Sometimes the solution is as simple as removing a couch’s feet. Other times, it takes a little ingenuity, plenty of communication, and a coordinated team effort. No playbooks cover these situations. Players have to think on their feet, listen to one another, adapt their approach, and work together to get the job done. Along the way, they strengthen the bonds that make them a team.

For Batory, these experiences are just as valuable as anything that happens on the football field. They challenge his players to step outside their own worlds, recognize the hardships others experience, and understand the power of small acts of kindness.

The initiative reflects KO’s commitment to developing young people who lead with both confidence and compassion. Whether they’re executing a play on the field or figuring out how to get a couch through a doorway, the lessons are remarkably similar: communicate, collaborate, persevere, and look out for one another.