William Jewell quarterback Nick West, junior, has earned his spot as a starter this football season. The quarterback has thrown for nine touchdowns, totaling 1102 yards, averaging 220 yards per game. West completes over half of his passes, his longest being 69 yards. The starter has also rushed a total of 159 yards, averaging 15 yards per game and has thrown only two interceptions.
West has been playing football for roughly 10 years. The athlete took an interest in the sport at age nine after moving from California to Texas, home of some of the most enthusiastic football fans in the nation.
“Living in Texas, you essentially didn’t have a choice in playing football. So, I showed up, tried out, and have liked it ever since,” West said.
Besides getting to be on the field with his friends, the football player’s favorite aspect of the sport is its reliance on teamwork.
“A really good play takes all eleven [players] doing something together. Seeing the end result of teamwork is a rewarding feeling,” West said.
While West has been both the receiver for his high school football team and the Cardinals’ starting quarterback since game four of the season, he also enjoys testing his skills in other positions. West says he values playing linebacker on defense because linebackers are “sort of like the quarterback of the defense.”
The William Jewell Cardinals took on the Truman State Bulldogs last week for Truman State University’s Homecoming game. The Bulldogs had the eighth longest winning streak and 25th longest unbeaten streak among Division II schools, but the Cardinals took home “the W.” West named this game as one his most memorable because it is one of the bigger games he has participated in and it was “a game we were not supposed to win” said the starter. The Cardinals were down 17-0 at half time but came back for a 21-17 victory, making the team 3-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
The quarterback’s favorite part about playing for the College is the connection he has built with his teammates, as they not only play together but live together as well.
West is currently a junior majoring in chemistry, and graduation he plans to start graduate school and see where life takes him from there.