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Athletes in Dripping Springs are often honored with accolades like All-District. On occasion, someone will reach the heights of All-State. Adam Knutson just took that to an entirely different level.
The senior midfielder and captain of the Dripping Springs boys soccer team made the 755 mile trip to Kansas City, Missouri to accept his award for being named to the United Soccer Coaches High School All-American team this weekend.
For Knutson, he was shocked that he was elected to the All-American team.
“Honestly I was kinda shocked,” Knutson said. “I didn’t think about it at first but once it sank in I was really appreciative… not many people get to be on that stage to accept an award like that, I just want to thank my teammates and my coaches for that.”
Despite being in Dripping Springs, Knutson says that anything is possible if you put your mind and the work into it.
“It just shows that anything is possible,” Knutson said. “We might live in the small town of Dripping Springs, but it just shows anything is possible when you put your mind to it”.
Knutson's journey to being an All-American has not been the easiest path but he has made it work nevertheless.
“It wasn’t always easy,” Knutson said. “Being the smallest one out there is not the easiest thing in the world but if you work hard and stay with it anything can happen…it’s all mental and it’s not all physical. If you are smart enough to work around it you can do whatever you want. The best player in the world is not the biggest or the strongest.”
Head Coach of the Dripping Springs boys soccer team Josh Hill said that such an honor also shows what the success of the boys soccer program can do for the other players.
“For me it’s a great honor to have a player win such a prestigious award,” Hill said. “But it also says a lot about our team and culture because individual awards come from team success, we wouldn't have the success of the program for the last few years that did many things to give players the recognition but it makes us proud to have him (Knutson) on the team.”
For Hill, it is Knutson Soccer IQ that separates him from the competition.
“Adam is one of the most intelligent soccer players I have ever coached,” Hill said. “His IQ for the game is what sets him apart. He may not be the fastest or the strongest, but he is the smartest kid that puts himself in the right position along with a great technical soccer ability and combining that with a high soccer IQ allows him to be successful.”
On the field, Knutson is a leader by example.
“He leads by example more than anything,” Hill said. “He’s one of the hardest working kids out there, never misses practice, always working hard, and the team kinda feeds off of him. He brings confidence to our team.”
“As long as I’m playing well, I try to encourage the others to play well,” Knutson said. “I just try and help the team out in any way.”
After advancing to the Regional Quarterfinals last year, both Knutson and the Tigers hope to advance even further as Dripping Springs currently has a 7-2 overall record and a 2-0 district record.
