Seymour athlete played both soccer, football in senior year

November 21, 2018

Tyler Penegar pulled double duty on turf athletic fields this fall.

He finished his fourth year as a member of the Seymour boys soccer team and joined the football team as a kicker late in the season.

This fall, he was a striker for the soccer team and performed kickoffs for the Owls the final two games of the football season.

Penegar, who was born in Italy, has played soccer for 12 years.

He played left mid his freshman year, and then moved to left wing his sophomore year. In his final two seasons, he played up top.

He said in addition to attacking the goal, he checked to the ball to allow other runs to develop.

“We had to be on the same page at all times for us to be able to make those connections and create as many opportunities as we did,” Penegar said. “What coach taught me to do was, since Daniel (Hartman) and I had to be on the same page, I always had to watch where he would go. I would start on the opposite side, and when he would check to, I would run around to create an extra run as would the wing at the time.

“One of our best connections was between him and me against Floyd Central. We were in the middle of the field, and I checked to. He saw that someone started pressuring it, so I passed to Blaine Spivey, and once I saw that he was getting pressured, I just made enough space for Daniel to check to, and we created a 1-2, and I did a three-ball, which allowed one of the goals.”

The Owls beat Floyd Central 3-0 and won the HHC with a record of 7-0.

Penegar joined the football team prior to the Madison game and kicked off against Madison and Columbus East.

He said the soccer-style kicks worked fine for him when kicking a football, but kicking a football is very different.

“There is a certain part on the ball and your foot where they have to connect for you to get a really good hit,” Penegar said. “I can kick a soccer ball anywhere I want, and I can basically control it, but a football is really different. I had to get really used to it.

“Since I’ve been kicking a soccer ball for so long and I bring my leg across, they liked me kicking from the left hash to the left, and we tried to do a 4-6, where four people are on this side of me and six on the other side so we can go and trap them.”

On his first kickoff against Madison, he kicked it out of the end zone.

Peneger said he liked the opportunity.

“Coach (Mike) Kelly asked (assistant soccer coach) Talmadge Reasoner who could more than likely kick the furthest and the hardest and talked to him about me,” he said. “Since the soccer season ended early, I went out there and tried it. I enjoyed it.”

Penegar said athletes need to have a positive outlook in all sports.

“You really have to trust your teammates and expect that they do what they are supposed to, and you’ve got to know that you need to do your job to help them out,” Penegar said. “Practice is very important. Practicing different tactics that you need to carry out during the next game is important because the next game is always your biggest focus.”

He said the main thing he has enjoyed about attending SHS is knowing everybody.

“I’ve had really close friends that I’ve played with all my life,” he said. “I’m friends with a lot of people on the football team, too.”

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Name: Tyler Penegar

High school: Seymour

Parents: Mary and Jesse Penegar

Sibling: Avery

Sports: Soccer, four years; football, one year

Athletic highlights: Hoosier Hills Conference champions, three-time O Cup champions, second leading scorer in conference

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