Spring Valley senior lineman Maxx Wittmer and EPC senior lineman Brett Kopp have both taken pride in what it means to be small town football players, working hard to be recognized and committing to Division II schools for football.

Maxx Wittmer

Spring Valley senior Maxx Wittmer has grown up looking to make his grandfather Tony Ninneman (SV Class of 1968, athlete) and his great uncle Byron Jensen (SV Class of 1961, athlete) proud. He takes the field with those two in mind every week, looking to honor his family every step of the way.

“Maxx has worked really hard to give himself the opportunity to play college football and he should be very proud of himself,” Spring Valley Head Coach Ryan Kapping said.

The road has not always been an easy one for Wittmer, who at one point thought college football was out of the picture, but now he is a commit to Minnesota State-Moorhead.

“It means a lot because Spring Valley hasn’t had anyone in the last 20 years go Division II/Division I. I’m very excited to be that person and do that. Show people down below that they can do it. Anybody that puts the hard work in can go Division I/Division II.”

A lot of coaches have helped Wittmer along the way including Kapping, his youth and other high school coaches, Tyler Nichols of ETS and former NFL lineman Lewis Kidd.

“Each coach taught me something about the game, my position, and most importantly about myself and the kind of player I had the potential to become,” Wittmer said.

There have been a lot of things Kidd has provided for Wittmer, but perhaps the most important was helping him believe in himself when times get hard.

“It’s meant a lot. He grew up not as a big person,” Wittmer said. “He’s held me up to where I need to be… Me and him text back and forth for his words of wisdom to me.

“When I went and met him, he inspired me to go even more,” Wittmer said.

Now, with the weight of Spring Valley on his shoulders, he is looking to return the favor to all those coaches, friends and family that pushed him every day. Players like Diego Schmitt, Caleb Bartko, Cade Stasiek and Tyler Vanasse were and are all inspirations to Wittmer.

“It’s meant a lot,” Wittmer said. “With my coach, Ryan Kapping, he’s pushed me since day one since I was a freshman. I love Spring Valley… A lot of good people around Spring Valley.”

It’s not just Spring Valley though; Wittmer wants to be a representative for all small school student-athletes.

“One thing I’ve learned is that small-division school players are often overlooked,” Wittmer said. “Bigger programs stereotype us, assuming we don’t face tough competition. What they don’t realize is that most of us play entire games on both offense and defense – something unheard of at larger schools.”

That’s why Wittmer is taking nothing for granted at the next stage. He knew Moorhead was the right fit because they always had that belief in him.

“I’m healthy and ready to help lead Spring Valley to another conference championship this season, and I’m grateful for my parents, teammates and every coach who has guided me along the way,” Wittmer said.

Brett Kopp

For Brett Kopp, anyone you ask will tell you it is no surprise to see him make it to the next level because of the work he put in. He is going on to play Division II at Sioux Falls.

“He’s played for me since his freshman year,” EPC Head Coach Mike Birtzer said. “I don’t think anybody has ever outworked that young man in the weight room. He is a leader.”

Birtzer said he is one of the team leaders in both the weight room and volunteering, a role model for anyone that enters the program.

“He made this a goal of his and he’s somebody that everybody should look at,” Birtzer said. “He saw a goal, and he’s done everything to make it possible. You wish every athlete would model that dedication and heart.”

Kopp has looked up to his older brother Payton as well as linemen Parker and Blair Bechel as he became the player he is.

“There have been loads of guys that I’ve seen from the way that they lead,” Kopp said. “Seeing the success that they had and how willing they were to learn and be coached and also tell others how it is was amazing.”

Those players, along with his coaches, have made EPC a special team to play for over the years.

“Everything,” Kopp said. “It was tough for a while, but it’s meant everything to me. We have an amazing coaching staff. Every time we end up losing a key piece, we always manage to get it back.”

Sioux Falls was among the top schools on Kopp’s list because of the value they had of him. He was told he was a highly regarded prospect by them at a camp in South Dakota, which meant a lot to him.

“I didn’t really know much about Sioux Falls before they started talking to me,” Kopp said. “Throughout camp season I was hoping to get an offer from them eventually.”

Kopp wants to go down as a player that people can look up to, just like the players that came before him.

“Don’t quit and start early,” Kopp said. “I was in the weight room from sixth grade on… I’m never going to wake up and think, ‘Oh man, I really wish I didn’t go to weight room this morning or I really wish I didn’t go to practice today.’”

With one year to play, Kopp is putting his foot to the pedal for one final stretch of games.

“Leave it better than I found it,” Kopp said. “Leave it with guys that know what they’re doing, are confident in their ability to do it. Making sure that I made the best impact that I can and I don’t have any doubts when I look back on it.”