After his first year at Kinkaid, sophomore Wayne Shanks had an unforgettable season on the varsity football team, leading the team as a starting running back.

Shanks transferred to Kinkaid as a sophomore, joining the school to specifically play football.
“Great players show up in the most critical moments, which was certainly true with Wayne this year,” said senior Topher Carlson.

From being a new addition to the lineup to having a monumental 50 touchdowns and running a total of 1,579 yards, Shanks’s presence on the field has been hard to miss.

“It’s a huge blessing for sure, and I’m very grateful for being able to play at Kinkaid this year,” Shanks said.

Through a public voting system, Shanks was recently awarded the VYPE fan pool award for best offensive player for all private schools in Houston.

With a goal of playing in the NFL, each of his accomplishments help his chances. The VYPE award is one of his greatest successes this season.

“Working really hard and staying strict and disciplined with my diet and training is tough, but it all pays off on the field,” Shanks stated.

While there were many great moments this season, Shanks highlighted that his most memorable and successful game was the Southwest Preparatory Conference championship played against the Episcopal Knights at the TDECU Stadium. By the end of the night the Falcons secured a dominant 49-10 victory.

“We had our first seven-vs-seven tournament last May, and when I saw the type of player he was, I knew we were going to win SPC from the start,” junior Peter Liuzzi stated.

With a great support system, Shanks said he appreciates the friendships he has with the members of the varsity football team on and off the field.

“It was really cool to win SPC with all of my teammates, and playing with people who I can collaborate with has helped me have a successful first season with Kinkaid and win the VYPE award,” Shanks said.