KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Western State University campus in St. Joseph, Missouri looks different than when it did when Jay White was there.
"And I remember when I came on my recruiting trip, they picked me up in an old Dodge van. And we drove up here and I thought this at the time, what was here, I thought this was, you know, Arrowhead Stadium to me, but it was Spratt Stadium. But you know now what it is now. It's awesome," Chiefs Assistant Equipment Manager Jay White told us.
Jay was a punter for the Griffons, then went to work for the University after graduation. Then one day the phone rang from 1 Arrowhead Drive.
"A position opened up and I got the call and it was just such an easy transition for me from Missouri Western down to Kansas City and then coming back here for training camp. It's just awesome for me," Jay said.
Ditto for Greg Carbin, now in his fourth season as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Chiefs.
"It was the mecca of division football at the time. You know, that was the part of the recruiting pitch to get me and my former teammates here to Western. Hey, well, we're going to get the Chiefs here, we're going to build this great indoor facility. So to see the fruition, and like, oh, this, this is it," Carbin told us.
Carbin later became the University's first strength and conditioning coach. He jumped at the chance to do the same kind of work for Chiefs Kingdom.
"I was walking out to Missouri Western spring ball practice, I was ready for good Friday night Griffon football and I get that call, like I don't know, my heart exploded."
Mike Halloran, who's been the Director of Facilities for the University every year the Chiefs have done camp in St. Joseph, remembers Jay and Greg from their time on the staff and loves seeing them each year for camp.
"They're Griffs through and through," Halloran said. "They might have a red jacket on, but they've got black and gold on underneath."
"He was my boss," Jay said. "And now I come here and I get to order him around a little bit too."
Another fun part of a job that Jay says is still, kind of a dream.
"To accomplish what we've already accomplished. And what we're going to accomplish still down the road, I have to take a step back sometimes and realize what I get to do for a profession I get to get paid for. And obviously it's a passion of mine, too," Jay said.
Continuing the theme of Missouri Western pride, the men we spoke to also mentioned a player named Brandin Dandridge during our interviews. He's a cornerback, a Lee's Summit native, and as far as they know, the first Missouri Western alum to be invited to camp as a member of the Chiefs roster.
