Students at West Primary School got a visit from &uot;giants&uot; Friday.

To encourage the young students to do well in school, members of the Natchez High School football team and the team’s Bulldog mascot paid a visit.

&uot;Just the look on their face,&uot; said Natchez High Football Coach James Denson as he smiled and watched the students with the 6-foot Bulldog.

At first many of the students were afraid of the mascot but &uot;just to look at them now,&uot; Denson said while watching the young students hug and shake hands with the mascot.

The members of the football team divided into groups and spent a few minutes talking with the students. They towered over them size but tried to get down to their level playing blocks, painting and talking with the students about their schoolwork.

If they want to play football someday, the students need to do well in school, the team said.

Player Derek Jarvis said they were there to talk to the young students about &uot;basically doing their work, their behavior, (and) their attitude toward their teachers at school&uot;

With those in place, they can strive to be somebody, Jarvis said.

West Primary School Principal Carrie Cupit said the football players also emphasized teamwork.

&uot;They just come and talk to the kids about character and how important it is to be a team member,&uot; Cupit said.

And the Bulldog mascot is always a hit.

&uot;The kids love it, and if (the students) are scared they don’t go in the door,&uot; she said.

Natchez High School coach Robert Cade began taking the high school athletes out to talk with the younger students last year.

Many students look up to the athletes so he wants the team members to serve as good role models.

And the team members like it too, he said.

&uot;They like getting out and being involved,&uot; Cade said. &uot;They understand the process because they were young once.&uot;