WICHITA, Kan.—
Senior Forward Austin Clifton has loved soccer as long as he can remember. He was only four years old the first time he started playing soccer. His love for the game is combined with skill, as Clifton was named to first-team all-city for soccer. “A couple of my dad’s friends played soccer and started up a team for their kids. They asked if I wanted to join the team, and I have never stopped playing soccer since,” Clifton said.
Clifton said soccer is the only sport he has ever wanted to play.
“I love soccer because it’s a game that always has a lot of action. There’s no stopping and pausing for plays or time outs. There are no set plays, and it’s a very fluid game,” Clifton said.
Clifton said soccer is just a fun game to play. Clifton moved into the Northwest district the second semester of his sophomore year, and he’s been very happy to have the opportunity to play for Northwest.
“The last two years we have gone 40-2, and playing soccer at Northwest just feels right. “We are just like a family, and I have had a great experience playing at Northwest,” Clifton said.
Clifton said each season of soccer was different in a unique way, but both were great seasons.
One of his favorite things about playing soccer at Northwest, is the opportunity to play for coach Bobby Bribiesca.
“Coach B is the best. He’s a great coach and he motivates me to play my best,” Clifton said.
Clifton said even when he had a bad practice or a bad game, Bribiesca found a way to motivate him.
“He always had faith in me, and would always encourage me. I love that guy,” Clifton said.
When asked about this past season and winning the 6A state championship, Clifton said Northwest worked very hard and played to their full potential.
“Mentally we were so focused, and you could just feel it in the atmosphere that it was our year. It was the most perfect season of soccer any player could ever ask for,” Clifton said.
Clifton said he is grateful to everyone from Northwest and from Wichita that supported the team.
“It means so much that they came out and watched us play, and that they believed in us,” Clifton said.
Clifton will be playing soccer at Fort Hays State University next year.
“I went on a visit, and I just fell in love with the school,” Clifton said.
Clifton said the team was fun to be around. Clifton said he liked the campus, and felt comfortable around the team.
“While I was watching the soccer game and hanging out with the team afterwards, I could just picture myself loving every minute of being on that team,” Clifton said.
