For The Tribune
After playing linebacker and tailback his sophomore and junior years at Seymour, Austin Engelking was asked to move to a new position at the beginning of practice this fall.
“This year they’ve got me playing in a position I didn’t think I’d be very comfortable with, defensive line,” Engelking said. “They have me playing both a defensive end and nose. It just depends on what team we play. I prefer to play the outside. I flip-flop. It just depends on whether it’s the strong or weak (side of the formation).
“I’m usually outside the tackle. My job is to keep containment on the outside, but not let anything get on the inside of me.”
Engelking said he has adjusted to the change well.
“Defense is life for me,” Engelking said. “I definitely enjoy the adrenaline rush you get once the ball has been snapped, and making that big play, and knowing that your teammates are counting on you to make the big stop at the end of the game.”
He said each player has to take care of his responsibilities.
“We play mainly to our discipline,” Engelking said. “We make sure that we play our ‘one of 11,’ which is ‘I maintain my responsibilities, and I rely on my teammates to maintain their responsibilities’ and if everything goes well then the play is a success.
“We adjust to where the ball lies, and the down it is on. As long as we all do our job, and everything goes according to plan, we’re able to make the stop.”
Engelking started played football in fifth or sixth grade, then took a break for three years and picked up the sports again his sophomore year.
He played linebacker and tailback his sophomore year and was looking forward to filling those same spots last fall until he broke his collarbone the second day of practice.
Engelking, who spent his summer in basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, said you have to be mentally and physically ready for every play.
“Strength and toughness play a very key role in any sport, not just football,” Engelking said, adding it is going to take more discipline to get the season turned around.
“We need to bring more strength and toughness to our team.”
Engelking said motivating his teammates and building the team for the future are responsibilities for the upperclassmen.
“We’ve all been trained to motivate and teach the younger guys on the team that they need to step up and push themselves further than what they think they are capable of. We seniors know that we have come from very low on the totem pole all the way to the very top, and we’ve made it and pushed ourselves to become what we are.”
For Engelking, practices are very important.
“You play like you practice,” Engelking said. “We are very strict with our practices. We take our practices very seriously. They are what prepares us for our games on Friday nights. If you don’t practice to 100 percent of your ability then we don’t expect you to play to 100 percent of your ability, and that’s not what we want for this program.”
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Parent: Steve Engleking II
Siblings: Mason, Montana
Sports: Football, three years; golf, one year
Athletic highlights: Postseason lifting and military physical fitness training
Organizations: National Honor Society, National Guard
Plans after high school: Continue military career and college at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis with ROTC program
Favorite food: Anything
Favorite TV show: “NCIS”
Favorite musician/band: Metallica
Favorite movie: “American Sniper”
Favorite team: Indianapolis Colts
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Q: What are some moments you would forget from football?
A: “The biggest highlight would probably be being with the season of 2015 coming off the first game and hitting the quarterback and causing a fumble and getting a fumble recovery for my team.”
Q: How has your tenure been at Seymour High School?
A: “I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed the teaching staff. I’ve enjoyed the academic opportunity here at SHS, and I wouldn’t have wanted to go to a high school anywhere else.”
Q: What’s it like playing at Bulleit Stadium?
A: “I definitely enjoy them. I’ve heard some rumors about possible getting turf. I assume the guys in the coming years, and future seniors, will enjoy playing on that.”
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