Westminster alum Harrison Butker ‘13 has carried on his Westminster legacy to the NFL, where he has cemented himself as one of the league’s best kickers. Butker recently kicked the game-winning field goal at Super Bowl LVII to earn the Kansas City Chiefs their third Super Bowl ring. Known for his composure in high pressure situations, he has been showing off his skills since playing under Westminster’s Friday night lights. 

Butker took the next big step in his career when he received a full athletic scholarship to the Georgia Institute of Technology where he played for four years until he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2017. During his freshman year at GT, he went 53/54  in points and led the team in scoring with 83 points. His hard work helped him improve and score 98 points in his sophomore year, eventually finishing with perfect seasons both junior and senior years. 

After his time with the Panthers, Butker earned a starting position on the Chiefs and signed a 5-year contract worth 20.3 million dollars.

Butker attended Westminster from 2009 to 2013, lettering three years in football and basketball and four years in soccer. Not only were his athletic accolations staggering; he was also the first chair tuba in the band.

During his four years on the varsity soccer team, Butker made a name for himself both on and off the field.

“He was the leader,” said soccer head coach Scott Snyder. “He is a superior athlete, but the thing that makes him unique is that he is also a superior person. He has always been focused on being a great teammate.”

Butker scored the game-winning goal in the state championship in 2013 against Calhoun High School, and his goal has lived on in the hearts of all Westminster soccer fans. The program is extremely proud of him.

Westminster football has a very successful special teams program, sending many players off to college to continue their craft. Much of this is thanks to kicking coach Joe Sturniolo, who credits the success in part to football head coach Gerry Romberg.

“We spend at least 20 percent of our practice time, or more, on special teams, and we do it every day,” said Sturniolo. “That’s very different from most other high schools, and it shows on the field.” 

As a dedicated kicking coach, Sturniolo focuses all of his practice time on helping the kickers improve.

Westminster’s dedication to special teams is a rarity in the high school football world. This coupled with the successful soccer program creates a strong kicking program nicknamed “Kicker U” by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

While Butker has unquestioned natural talent, hard work got him to where he is today.

“Practice wasn’t just from 4:00 to 6:30 pm during the week,” said Sturniolo. “He worked weekends [and] went to camps. Harrison had a desire not just to be better but to be perfect. He knew he could never reach perfection, but that was always his goal.”

Butker’s work ethic is an example for all. Instead of settling for good, he strived to achieve greatness. He not only worked hard but believed in himself and his faith. Butker broke the standing school record with a 53-yard field goal, and his strive for perfection is an inspiration to all. 

“Harrison Butker inspires me,” said sophomore Cooper Widness. “He is an inspiration for how far you can go in the sport. You look at how much success he’s had and think, ‘that could be me.’”

Butker has scored 763 NFL career points and continues to represent Westminster worldwide as one of NFL’s most exciting kickers. 

His legacy continues off the field as well with his foundation, the Harrison Butker Family Foundation, which combats human trafficking and modern-day slavery while strengthening the anti-trafficking movement. Harrison Butker is a proud alum of Westminster, and our community will continue to support him as he competes on the world’s biggest fields.

Edited by Riley Sager