Younggren excited to join Fort Hays football program

Louisburg senior Alec Younggren fights through a block during a game earlier this season. Younggren will look a lot of the same more as he will join the Fort Hays State football program this fall.

Alec Younggren had a senior year that wasn’t exactly what he was expecting.

He transferred to a new school for his final year of high school, and then he suffered an injury that forced him to miss almost half of the football season. Younggren went through all of it while trying to get recruited to play football in college.

The situation wasn’t ideal, but Younggren made the most of it and eventually found his future home in the process.

Younggren signed his letter of intent to play football at Fort Hays State in the fall as he looks to continue enjoying the game he loves.

“It’s means the world to me to able to play college football and it’s has been my dream ever since I was a kid,” Younggren said. “It’s everything I’ve worked for throughout my entire career.”

Younggren, who transferred to Louisburg from Olathe South over the summer, thought he would be finishing his high school career there. Instead, with the COVID-19 pandemic threatening school sports in the fall, Younggren moved to Louisburg in hopes of getting to play his senior year.

An injury took away part of his senior year, but he was able finish his season strong as he was named an All-Frontier League first team offensive lineman and was an honorable mention defensive player.

Younggren was also an honorable mention all-state selection by the Topeka Capital-Journal.

The Louisburg senior had a couple different options to choose from, but he felt right at home on his visit to Fort Hays.

“Fort Hays just had something about it that clicked for me,” Younggren said. “The coaches, the athletes, and all-around it was a school I could call home and somewhere I think I can thrive.”

The Tigers have become one of the top teams in the MIAA that last few seasons and Younggren hopes to help in that regard. Fort Hays had a 17-6 record and an MIAA championship the last two years before COVID-19 impacted the world of college football.

“The coaches are some of the best in their position throughout college football I believe,” Younggren said. “They have me playing defensive end for now so we will see how it goes.

“The goals I have going into college football, and for college itself, is to better myself and become the best I can be.”

As for Louisburg, where he also finished as a state runner-up wrestler, Younggren enjoyed his time with the Wildcat program.

“I felt very welcome the second I came to Louisburg,” Younggren said. “There are great people, great coaches and all-around felt that I was in the right spot to finish out high school football.”