Senior Kwame Achampong made the decision to play football at Georgetown University after his official visit a week and a half ago because of how much it reminded him of Saint Patrick High School. “The Brotherhood was there,” Achampong said. “I watched the way the coaches and players interacted and the way they were genuinely there for each other and it was just like being at St. Pat’s.”
The 6’5, 230 lb. All-Conference Defensive End, who received academic and athletic scholarships to attend Georgetown and plans to major in Business, said the coaches also made him feel like he was part of their plan and would be given the opportunity to make an immediate impact, something he feels four years of Shamrock football, his teammates and Head Coach Adam Guerra have prepared him to do.
“My teammates at St. Pat’s are my brothers,” Kwame shared after this morning’s Signing Ceremony attended by the Junior Varsity and Varsity teams. “I will be there for every one of them.” As for Coach Guerra he said, “Without him, I would not be in the position I am right now. He turned me into a man.”
“This is life-changing for Kwame and his family,” Guerra said. “His parents worked hard to put him through Catholic grade school. When it came time to decide where to go to high school, everyone told them a Catholic education at St. Pat’s was the best investment in his future. They listened and I couldn’t be happier to see their hard work pay off and Kwame’s dream come true.”
Achampong, a two-sport athlete who played Shamrock basketball for three years, was bumped from Junior Varsity to Varsity after the first five games of his sophomore season. He immediately became a Varsity starter and says that is when he truly started to understand what the Brotherhood was all about. “Jake Briskey ’19 (Butler football) guided me and Joe [Fanning] ‘20. He helped show us the way.”
Last year, his junior season, was a special team for Kwame. “It was great to see guys like Briskey, Anthony Manaves ’19 (Eastern Illinois football) and Giovanni Capifali ‘19 (University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football) step up.” He says the Shamrocks really prepared for this year and, despite the adversity they faced with teammates Charlie Moskal ’20 and Fanning going down with injuries early in the season, the team stuck together and fought through. “Playing in the longest football season in St. Pat’s history with the two wins in the Prep Bowl was very special.”
Kwame says he and his family are grateful for the many opportunities he’s been given at St. Pat’s. He’d like to thank all his coaches and everyone who believed in him along the way. “Choosing to attend St. Pat’s was the best decision I ever made.”
