Anthony Klos is a senior on the Benet Academy hockey and soccer teams, which have overlapping seasons. He’s this week’s Player Profile, presented by LifeStance Health.
For all the stats we pay attention to, obsess over, debate in sports – you know the truest measuring stick for athletes? Winning. And by that measurement, Anthony Klos ought to be among the area’s top prep athletes in the last few years. The Benet Academy star soccer and hockey player is no stranger to winning… especially on the biggest stage.
Klos: “I was confident last year but I wasn’t expecting all the success that our team had, and even some of the individual success. But I kind of just took it day by day and tried to work hard and improve.”
Klos is referring to his Kennedy Cup winning hockey team – the one that beat Providence Catholic on an overtime goal from… you guessed it
Klos is a two year contributor to the Benet hockey team – netting 9 goals and 9 assists in 19 games his sophomore year, while upping his production in his junior season. In just 18 games, Klos fired in 14 goals and 19 assists as a defenseman. Incredibly, but not unexpectedly, elevating his game once more, the Redwing put together an incredible run in the Kennedy Cup – earning MVP honors on the strength of 9 points in 7 games.
Even with the MVP and All-State honors in hand, the brightest highlight for Klos is something immeasurable.
Klos: “To me, last year, as a junior I was named the alternate captain, and I think I was the second person in the program to do that. So I take pride in a lot of the leadership I have and I think I learned that from both my coaches I’ve had from hockey and soccer. So I take pride in leading the guys and try and get them ready for every practice and game.”
Like everything else in the past year, this school year is presenting Klos with a new challenge – overlapping seasons. So while the Redwing senior is flying around on skates, his soccer teammates have laced into their cleats and thrown on the pinnies, prepping for the season.
Klos: “It’s been pretty tough missing a couple of practices this year. And then especially this weekend we play Naperville North and then for hockey we have our state tournament so I’ve been pretty stressed thinking about having to miss that one. I don’t know, it’s kind of tough – I can’t pay attention in class sometimes. But there’s not much I can do about it so I try not to think about it too much.”
Easier said than done, especially coming off the season the Redwings had – going 21-1-2, storming through the 2A playoffs and winning state an the back of a defense that allowed zero goals in the post-season.
Once again, in the middle of team success. His soccer coach, Sean Wesley, also credits the movin of Klos from center midfielder to center back as the turning point to the season.
While senior year is in full swing – even more so than usual, Klos is also weighing his next move. College. The Redwing may not know where he’s going next or if he’ll continue playing hockey or soccer at the NCAA or club level – it’s not hard to imagine at all that whatever decision he comes to, will be a winning one.
For more prep sports content, visit our Naperville Sports Weekly page.
