WOODBURY – It’s one jersey, but it unites players from more than 20 towns to play football for Northwest United at Nonnewaug High School. 

Head coach Jennifer Garzone says that it can be challenging to have players come from different towns. 

“One of the biggest challenges is getting the team to jell and jell quickly,” Garzone said. “When you’re in different schools, you have to abide by their different rules and policies.”   

Senior Reed Woerner, who lives in Bridgewater and attends Shepaug, said it takes him 25 minutes to get to practice and games at Nonnewaug. He admits that it was a challenge to fit in at first.

“I came here as not the most talkative person, and had to make some new friends,” Woerner said. “[I had to] create the chemistry you need for a football team.”

Senior Chase Heidorn, a Nonnewaug student from Naugatuck, has a similar 20-minute trip to Nonnewaug, but had a different experience as a freshman. 

“I like to talk to everyone,” Heidorn said. “I’m a friendlier guy as you would say, so it was quite easy for me to make new friendships. Plus people on the football team can be fun.” 

The Northwest United program is composed of four schools: Nonnewaug High School, Oliver Wolcott Tech, Shepaug High School and Lakeview High School. Players come from 20 communities: Bantam, Beacon Falls, Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Harwinton, Litchfield, Middlebury, Naugatuck, New Hartford, New Milford, New Preston, Northfield, Seymour, Southbury, Thomaston, Torrington, Warren, Watertown, Winsted, and Woodbury.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what town players come from. All that matters is getting along, playing the game, and having fun. 

 “There’s no place I’d rather play, me and these guys,” Woerner said. “It’s been history since I came here. The bonds are great.”

“We have fun practices to make the team have better chemistry,” Heidorn agreed. “We’ll hang out outside practice, for example, like going to a restaurant with a few of your teammates, creating better bonds and hanging out.”