2006 Awards

BIRMINGHAM — Some people move so fluidly, throw a ball with such ease that observers say they were born to play a position, almost having it issued by destiny.

From the origin of his name, to a batted ball hit by a former Clay County place kicker that changed his life forever, all of this holds a part in the story of Win Knight.

And today in the Class 3A state football championship game, Knight has another date with destiny. With only three more successful extra-point kicks, he will break the Alabama High School Athletic Association's record for most extra-point kicks in a season set by Chris Swinney of Russellville in 2002.

On May 18, 1989, a child was born to Angie and Mike Knight. The parents decided to name him after his great grandmother, Winnie. Making the name into one for a boy, they shortened it to Win. But not Wynn, a Welsh named meaning blessed.

“I got the spelling from Win Lyle, Auburn's kicker,” his father said referring to the Tiger, who played from 1988-89, earning All-SEC honors.

But while he carried the name of a former kicker, it was a long time before he adopted that position full time. Growing up in Ashland, he was a football player first. Rover, halfback, cornerback — whatever they needed him to play, he was there.

And besides, the Panthers already had the position filled.

“Josh Simmons was our kicker,” Win said. “I don't guess I ever really thought about it back then. I didn't ever think about being a kicker at all until everything else went down the drain.”

Like water working its way clockwise down a drain, Knight's life spiraled out of control that day.

It was the spring of 2002, and Knight, then a seventh-grader was playing baseball for the Panthers.

He was standing at third, waiting to be driven home, and it slowly began to unfold.

In the batter's box stood Jose Bermudez, a Venezuelan exchange student and Clay County's kicker at the time. He was looking to drive in Knight, who was standing on third.

Knight had the call, a hit-and-run. Dart home on the crack of the bat, were the instructions.

Bermudez hit a screaming line drive. Before anyone could bat an eye, the batted ball and Knight face met there on the third base line.

“I was walking up the hill and I saw my dad holding somebody,” the elder Knight said. “Somebody told me that's your baby.

“I jumped the fence and ran out onto the field.”

Clay County head football coach Danny Horn was coaching the baseball team that day. The gruesome sight still sticks in his head.

“It was the worst injury I'd ever seen,” he said.

There was extensive damage to the younger Knight's face. His nose was broken and the socket for his right eye was shattered. It would take extensive surgery — five plates to reconstruct his face, and a prosthesis and cartilage from a cadaver to fix his nose. It took more than six hours in all and doctors told the family it was the second worst they'd ever seen.

The first? A rodeo rider, whose face had been gored by a bull's horns.

Perhaps the worst part was they still weren't finished. Another surgery a year later was needed to give Knight the ability to breathe through his nose.

“It was like a boiled egg, and completely crushing the shell around it, but leaving the egg in tact,” Mike Knight said. “I guess, in a way, the good Lord was looking out for him.”

Doctors at Children's Hospital warned him from playing any kind of sports ever again. However for the younger Knight, that wasn't an option.

They formed a compromise — become a kicker. There he could avoid much of the contact that could land him back in the operating table to construct his face once more.

Deciding to be a kicker was a long way from actually being a kicker.

They didn't know anything about it.

“And I sure didn't know anything about being a soccer-style kicker,” Horn said.

He toyed with the idea of going with a straight-on style. But, “you don't see anybody in college or in the pros that do that,” Win said.

But then a call was made that put his career into motion. Win's father called Auburn University, explained his son's situation and the Tigers set up a meeting with Phillip Yost, a former Auburn standout.

“I guess they felt sorry for me,” Win said.

But hardly anyone could feel sorry for the junior anymore. He's parlayed his disability into a record-setting career.

With numerous camps, countless Sunday afternoon between him and his father kicking at the high school football field he's become an all-state kicker.

“You've got to admire somebody like that,” Horn said. “He knew what his limitations were and just wanted to do whatever he could to contribute to his team.”