The last time Andrew Phillips walked off a football field, he became part of history as a state champion. Andrew was the starting placekicker for the champion Pioneers. He was also the captain and starting forward for the varsity soccer team. A normal fall day after school consisted of two practices, not the average one. Now, five months later, he has decided to head to Benedictine College in Kansas to play college football and soccer.
“What drives me to play both sports is the passion I have for each one,” Andrew said. “I love being in the atmosphere and being with the teams.”
Andrew said choosing Benedictine was simple because of their wish for him to play both sports. He wanted to play both sports in college because of the feeling he gets when playing each sport, which is why he was led to Benedictine. He felt comfortable with his decision to play two sports at the college level because of honor he felt from the Benedictine and the preparation KHS athletics has given him.
“Kirkwood has prepared me with my time management since I always went from one practice to the other,” Andrew said. “Kirkwood has mentally prepared me for not only the stress college is going to bring, but physically the hard work I put into each sport.”
Andrew’s history with each sport is very different when it comes to experience. Andrew started playing soccer since kindergarten which gives him 13 years of experience, but his football career started his freshman year giving him four years. Regardless, Andrew has been able to succeed in both sports because of the motivation coaches Matt Irvin and Chris Steinmetz give him.
“I think he has done an exemplary job and has demonstrated the ability to manage his schedule and time and be very driven at that,” Irvin said. “He has all the tools to be successful with the challenges college will bring.”
Andrew plans on studying sports science in the hopes of becoming a high school athletics director, but also has a dream of playing either sport professionally. Andrew has spent time with both former athletics director, Jeff Townsend, and current director, Cory Nesslage, about what to do and how to become successful as an athletics director.
“I’d like to play one of them professionally, but it comes with work,” Andrew said. “If I work hard I think I can get there. If not I’d have my education to fall back on.”
