Trinity Prep keeper, kicker heads to UCF
Shane Wright stood on the Lake Highland Prep football field near the goal line and punted a ball 50 yards and toward the sideline in a Wednesday night game.
Wright, a Trinity Prep senior, wasn’t playing football, though. At least not during this time of the year. He is busy playing soccer as an outstanding goalkeeper for the Saints, and recently committed to UCF to continue his soccer career. But in the fall, Wright served as kicker and punter for the football team because he was a junior. On a 1-9 team last season, Wright got lots of in-game experience punting and impressed, notching a 44.8yard average, according to Trinity Prep athletic director David Langdon.
“The technique is a little bit different. Obviously punting is a lot different,” Wright said. “In soccer, you hold the ball to the side and kick it. In football it’s straight up and down. I guess there’s some carryover in terms of leg strength and such.”
Stopping shots is his chief duty as a goalkeeper. He helped do just that as Class 3A Trinity Prep (8-2-1) won 1-0 against 4A Bishop Moore, which was 16-1-1 entering the Citrus League championship match played on neutral turf at Lake Highland. Trinity Prep has allowed 1 goal or less in 10 of its 11 games.
Wright said Trinity Prep football coach Mike Kruczek came to a Saints soccer game when he was a sophomore and asked if he’d be interested in kicking after seeing him in goal. Trinity boys soccer coach Ray Sandidge thinks the skillset between punters, kickers and goalkeepers translates well from sport to sport and was happy to share Wright with the football team.
“Mike Kruczek told me, ‘Oh this kid could be a Division I field-goal kicker.’ And I said, ‘Well, he’s going to be a Division I soccer player, too,’ ” Sandidge said.
As far as kicking for UCF’s football team, Wright acknowledged there’s interest but there may be some scheduling conflicts.
“[College] soccer is during the fall, so I’m not sure how that would work. But if [the football team] ever needs a kicker because all their guys are hurt, I’m going to be the first guy to step up,” Wright said.
Sandidge, who has battled colon cancer and become an inspiration for his team, has been what Wright described as a father figure. He has coached Wright for seven years at the club level with Florida Kraze Krush.
Wright, who previously attended Timber Creek High School, was attracted to Trinity Prep because of Sandidge and goalkeeper coach Lou Cioffi. Sandidge said Wright’s work ethic has been vital to the Saints’ soccer success in the past few years and that he’s a leader on and off the field.
“He goes out in his neighborhood and trains a bunch of little kids who want to be goalkeepers,” Sandidge said. “So he volunteers and helps. He loves being around the kids and training.”
With his next step to UCF, Wright and his positive influence won’t be far away.