After baseball season ended in the spring, senior Steven Stewart had wrapped up four years of being a dual-sport athlete. When Stewart realized he would have to return to Baker for a fifth year of college and he no longer had eligibility remaining to play soccer or baseball, he came up with a possible solution.

In the spring, Stewart went to kick field goals at Liston Stadium in front of head football coach Mike Grossner and members of the team and eventually earned a spot on the roster.

“It’s definitely different because I never actually played football in my life,” Stewart said. “Not even when I was in high school. I mean, I knew I could kick a ball because I had been kicking soccer balls for my whole life and it is actually a lot more different than you would think.”

To help make the transition to being a placekicker, Stewart went to the kicking camp of former Kansas City Chief Louie Aguiar in the summer. After going to the camp and practicing throughout the summer, Stewart had a shot to be the starting placekicker in training camp, and he won it.

“If I tried to kick (a football) like a soccer ball, I wouldn’t be very accurate and that is kind of how I started off,” Stewart said. “That is where going to the camp with Louie Aguiar really helped me out. He taught me how to kick a football. Like I said, the technique is a lot more different than you think.”

Stewart made an immediate impact in his first game as he kicked two field goals and three extra points in the Wildcats’ 27-20 win against Ottawa University.

“He’s been our player of the week special teams wise two out of the seven weeks,” Grossner said. “(Oct. 6 against Avila University,) he was our player of the week on special teams because he was perfect in his extra points and all of his kickoffs were great.”

While Stewart has found success so far this season, it has not come easy.

One of the main differences from playing soccer and baseball in comparison to football has been Stewart’s time spent in the weight room and in practice.

“Well, I’m actually not doing a very good job of staying out of (the weight room), but it is just different in all aspects,” Stewart said. “Not having the ball and being a kicker … I’m definitely still important as a kicker, I’m just not as involved as I was in soccer and baseball with being a shortstop or midfielder or whatever it was. It is just different having that active type of role, but staying healthy is tough.”

Senior Sean McAlister, a baseball and soccer teammate of Stewart, experienced what it was like to play two sports with him over the last four years.

“He was in the same (recruiting) class as I was and we kind of hit it off early,” McAlister said. “He’s pretty much one of the most versatile (soccer) players. He played defender as a freshman and then midfield, then forward. He became team captain last year and was kind of that guiding voice all year for the guys.”

As a pitcher on the baseball team, McAlister was happy to have Stewart playing behind him at shortstop.

“He was the leadoff (hitter), batted clean-up, whatever you needed him,” McAlister said. “Playing in the field, he was consistent and never had errors. He was always there to back up the pitchers.”

Stewart has gone from being a captain for the baseball and soccer teams and going through long practices, to a smaller, yet still important role as the placekicker this football season.

“I don’t want this to sound negative, but to become a kicker of a football team that is a transition in itself,” Grossner said. “Steven and I have talked about it. You become where you are so important in the moment for a football team, but your moments don’t come often.”

With three more regular season football games remaining, Stewart’s athletic career at Baker is nearing an end. When looking back on his time as a Wildcat so far, Stewart did not have one sport which he considered to be his favorite.

“I haven’t ever really enjoyed any of them more than the other,” Stewart said. “Just which ever one is in season. The reason I came to Baker was to play soccer and baseball. Being able to play football in my fifth year was icing on the cake.”