Rising Star: Circle soccer star Hannah Stipp handles football kicking duties

TOWANDA, Kan. (Catch it Kansas) - The Circle Thunderbirds are posting their best season in decades -- 1980 to be exact, the last time they won more than their current seven games. Their offense has been stellar thus far, averaging over 37 points per game. Their special teams has been something special as well.

“We’ve had a couple field goals and also been very rock solid on our extra points as well,” Circle head coach Logan Clothier said. “It allows us to not only have to go for two every time, but it’s a weapon for [our offense] as well.”

The kicker leading that special teams unit may look a bit different than most. Circle High School senior Hannah Stipp has handled the kicking duties for the Thunderbirds so far this season, and after a learning curve, she’s fit right in to Circle’s offensive attack.

“It took me about 2 weeks to learn how to kick a football properly,” Stipp said. “But I like spending time with the guys. They’re a fun group.”

“She came out about halfway through our fall camp and said ‘Coach, I want to help,’” Clothier said. ”It was pretty awesome.”

Although you wouldn’t believe it watching her kick, this is only Stipp’s first year ever being on the gridiron, as she’s also a division one soccer commit. Stipp committed to play at North Dakota State University in March as a goalkeeper. Not only is Stipp heading to play for the Bison, she’s graduating high school at semester, forgoing her senior soccer season, to practice with her collegiate team in the Spring.

“After I committed I was like ‘Hey, what else is there to do? I’ll play my final club season and maybe kick a few field goals every now and then,” she said.

Stipp is doing a bit more than just kicking field goals ‘every now and then.’ She is nailing field goals upwards of 40 yards. She said she didn‘t expect to ever see herself on a football field, let alone making an impact, but that she is cherishing the experience in her last high school sports season.

“It’s extremely cool. I mean, I feel like I would be cooler if I was out there hitting people, but I also don’t want to risk anything,” Stipp said. “But, I definitely think it’s a cool experience. I never thought I’d ever see myself on a football field getting my name announced or anything like that.”

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