Westphal signs for 2 sports, ministry

FAIRFIELD - When Fairfield's Anna Westphal signed a letter of intent for Kansas Christian College Thursday at the high school to participate in track, her father, Bryan Westphal, voiced concern at the thought they would have his daughter throw the javelin as well as her event, the discus.

He laughed about not wanting his daughter learning how to ‘shuck spears.'

The college does have additional plans for Anna Westphal. Before the signing ceremony started, she was on the phone with the KCC basketball coach about the possibility of playing that sport. While there would be overlap with the indoor track season, Westphal will 'play that, too. Since it's a small school, I'm thinking that I can do both with their help.”

She wants to concentrate her studies on youth and pastoral ministries. The reason she chose KCC was because, 'I want to be a pastor.”

KCC is a private, four-year Christian college in Overland Park, Kansas with 130 students. After over a decade without, KCC launched a newly branded athletics department in 2016. The Falcons compete in the National Christian College Athletic Association and Association of Christian College Athletics, offering men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, and volleyball. Division I and Division II cover basketball, volleyball, soccer and cross-country, but baseball as well as track and field have a single division.

Some of the DI Christian colleges are dual members in the NCCAA and NCAA Division II or Division III or the NAIA.

'Just because we're a small school, we don't act small,” said head track coach Gregory Keeler, who was at FHS for the ceremony. 'We compete against some of the best. Our area has a lot of solid programs.”

Westphal said she knows 'a lot of people in Kansas City that have had an impact on my life, so I want to be close to them.”

Shawn Dorman is the throwing coach for Fairfield. 'Anna is one of the most dedicated kids,” he said. 'She tries her hardest to do the right thing all the time. Whether it's drill work or small technique, she takes pride in wanting to do the little things. She has a great personality, has fun out there, and loves to work hard and enjoys whatever she's trying to do. I have no doubt she'll be able to accomplish anything she wants to.”

Last track season, she dislocated her knee and last year the onslaught of the coronavirus canceled spring sports after a few practices, so she is unsure of specific goals. 'I'm want to see how this year goes.”

Westphal reached out to the ministry program, then visited, providing Keeler the 'privilege (of) recruiting her. I like the fact that she's versatile and a solid two-sport athlete. That helps us out a lot. She has a lot of energy. We're so glad that she decided to come here. She is such a great personality that we are excited to have her be part of our community.”