KEARNEY, Neb. - The best high school football players in the state are in Kearney this week preparing for the 67th annual Shrine Bowl taking place this Saturday.

The senior student athletes are separated into North and South teams and will practice all week in preparation for their head to head matchup.

On Monday, these students went beyond the field and learned about the impact and awareness the athletic event has on children treated at Shiner's Hospital.

"It's more than just a game. I mean, these kids, we're their heroes so they look up to us so we've got to put on a show for them, put a smile on their face and make them happy this week," said Millard North's Desmond Dhaenens.

Dhaenens knows the impact firsthand- his brother suffers from gigantism in his lower extremities and deals with abnormal growth from the waist down.

Dhaenens says the Shriners have been a part of his family's life for as long as he can remember, and it's been a dream come true to now be a player in the competition.

"Twelve years ago I was on top of the players' necks, getting held up and screamed at. Now it's going to be me holding them up, so it's just fun, really big full-circle moment for sure," said Dhaenens. 

Officials say around 1,000 children from Nebraska go to hospitals and receive treatment as a result of the Shriners' work.

Nick Kreikemeier from Battle Creek is one of those kids who's gotten specialized care, and he says the event is special time for these athletes and the general public to learn more about the Shriners and the local kids who are defying the odds.

Nick said the meeting with players and locals is a great reminder that people with disabilities such as him can participate in whatever they set their minds to when they have a supportive community behind them.

"It's amazing, it really shows what kind of characters people have and shows that they want to learn and they want to understand about what it's like to have this life, and it's amazing. It's nice that the Shriners is able to do this and able to shed a light on these patients that they support and help," said Kreikemeier.

The North and South squads will compete this Saturday at University of Nebraska at Kearney's Cope Stadium starting at 4 p.m.