Collingsworth feels Kentucky Christian is the right direction

SOUTH POINT — Tyler Collingsworth looked in all different directions, both near and far. But sitting there waiting was the place he was supposed to be.

The South Point Pointers senior soccer standout began looking toward the future in middle school as he searched for where he wanted to play college soccer.

But all that looking and recruiting led him to sign with the Kentucky Christian University Knights.

“My eighth grade year I did an I.D. camp at Marshall and I wanted to go to Marshall and go big D1. After my sophomore year, reality hit and D1 one is the highest level and D1 is not where you have to go,” said Collingsworth.

“I extended my search to a Christian school because I knew I wanted to go to a Christian school that had a soccer team and had my major.”

Collingsworth said he narrowed his search to Kentucky Christian University, Warren Wilson College in North Carolina and Toccoa Falls College in Georgia.

Collingsworth visited Toccoa and stayed in contact with the school. It appeared that was going to be his landing place until right after Christmas when KCU contacted Collingsworth and set up an official visit.

“A few weeks later, (Coach Jeremy Miller) called and wanted to talk to me about being on the team and he offered me a scholarship,” said Collingsworth.

After talking with his parents, Collingsworth said, “KCU’s the one. I fit in with the guys there a lot better than anywhere else. It was the perfect fit.”

Collingsworth is currently playing center but said he hasn’t talked Coach Miller about what position they expect him to play.

“He likes to experiment at times. I could be playing left back, right back, it all depends on coach and what he wants, but preferably center to attack,” said Collingsworth.

After playing at another school for two years, Collingsworth ended up moving back to South Point his junior season.

“The coach is Zach Jenkins and he’s my neighbor and I’ve known him all my life. The players I’ve known my whole life. The intensity was better,” said Collingsworth.

“My senior year I was a captain and I got to coach the kids and it felt good to mentor them so hopefully they’ll be better players their senior year.”

With his college selection secure, Collingsworth has established a new set of goals he wants to accomplish at the next level.

“I’m hoping to start as a freshman and to play the position I want to play. I’m hoping to grow more as a Christian while I’m there,” said Collingsworth.

“I know they have classes to help me go to med school. I’m also hoping to build KCU ’s program up, maybe by my junior and senior year to have a winning record and by my senior year be a captain if that’s possible.”

Throughout his life, Collingsworth has played sports and he said his parents Shane Colingsworth and Tracy Kelley have been with him every step of the way providing encouragement and advice when necessary.

“In high school my dad was a baseball player. He tore his rotator cuff so he could have played college baseball. Growing up he wanted me to play baseball. My mom wanted me to do whatever I wanted,” said Collingsworth.

“So, growing up I played every sport but football. But they knew from about 4-years-old they saw me and I said I like soccer. No matter what sport, my mom was always, ‘good job. You did great.’ The same with my dad. ‘You had a great game.’ But they would always try to give me the helping hand to make me a better player.

Collingsworth plans to major in Biology.

“I want to go to the pre-med program,” he said. “I’m ready and I’m excited.”