Craft to play at Notre Dame
Photo Credit: Brother Richard
Senior Kyle Craft strikes the ball during the senior night game against Pryor. The Comets won the game 3 - 0.
Maggie Oberste
May 13, 2010
Filed under Profiles
Kyle Craft will be the first Bishop Kelley student to play a sport for The University of Notre Dame in over a decade. Next fall, as he steps onto campus, he will not only be a student, but a member of the Fighting Irish Men’s Soccer team.
“I will be playing for the school of my dreams,” Craft said with a smile.
With two of his three siblings having attended Notre Dame, he has always had playing for The Fighting Irish in his sights.
“It’s a great school and provides all the opportunities I want for the future; the team is full of great guys and the coach is a good man whom everyone loves,” Craft said.
He knows he will be making big adjustments and is ready for the challenge.
“ I am nervous but excited. The practices will be harder; I’ll do more conditioning, have to work school around my soccer schedule and travel a lot for games,” he said.
This summer he will be working out in Tulsa with Victor Moreland, whom he considers one of his most influential coaches, to prepare for the start of his college soccer career. He will spend many mornings with Moreland working on skills and conditioning.
“Victor has played a big role in getting me opportunities to further my career,” Craft said.
The community shares Craft’s excitement when they hear he is going to Notre Dame next year.
“They are impressed and happy for me. Normally something like ‘Wow, that’s awesome,’” Craft said.
When looking back on his high school career, he will be taking great memories with him. Craft scored the single goal in last year’s state championship game. As many fans screamed after watching him shoot from 20 yards out, he was thinking, “we’re winning, I can’t believe I just did that.”
Not everyone knows what a talented player he is, but when students come to games, they are very impressed by his skills.
“He is a speed demon,” senior Jessica Bowden said.
There are players Craft is impressed by, as well, like Christiano Ronaldo, who is his favorite professional player.
“He is from Portugal, and he is the best in the world. Everyone just holds their breath and wait to see what he will do with the ball.”
Craft will be attending the World Cup this summer in South Africa.
“I’m really excited. I asked my parents my sophomore year if we could go for graduation, and they said they would think about it. They decided we would go as my graduation, birthday and Christmas present. We are going to the quarterfinal game and it’s going to be a great atmosphere,” he said.
This season, Craft, who was chosen by the players as team captain, remains a big asset to the Comet team, but not just because of his soccer abilities.
“Kyle is a good teammate who keeps us working hard. Everybody respects him because of his decisions both on and off the field,” fellow soccer player Matt Turner said.
Craft keeps things in perspective while he is on the field.
“Every game I wear athletic tape on my wrist that says 2Timothy 1:7,” he said. Which reads, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”