Get to Know the Players: Kendrick Stewart
Published on November 13, 2012 under Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL)
Lakeland Raiders News Release
Most of us were sound asleep by midnight last night. Most of us were still snoozing away at 4:30 this morning. Lakeland Raider Kendrick Stewart isn't like most of us.
A typical day in the life of "K-Stew" starts at 4:30 AM with a workout and a 1 mile run before he showers and gets ready for work. He's at his Alma Matter, Lakeland High School, before 8 AM to help the students get to class on time. He spends the rest of the morning and early afternoon as a Teacher Assistant before heading out to the football field to serve as assistant coach to both the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams. All that is before Stewart starts his full-time job with Publix in the evenings, which can often go until as late as midnight.
He says he sleeps on his days off. If hard work truly is its own reward then Kendrick Stewart is a very rich man indeed. And that's in the offseason, when he's not playing professional football for the UIFL's Lakeland Raiders (he substitutes coaching High School Basketball for coaching High School Football during that time of year). Stewart's work ethic is obvious to anyone who spends time around him. "We just don't have a harder worker than K2," according to Lakeland Raiders head coach Michael Mink. "He puts on his hard hat at every practice."
The Florida State product keeps as busy on the field as he does off. Last season Stewart recorded 31 tackles, the sixth highest total for a Defensive Lineman in the UIFL. He had nine sacks and an additional nine tackles for a loss in his ten games in a Raiders uniform.
The 6'2" Stewart plays on the Offensive and Defensive line for the Raiders. He likes being "in the trenches," having contact and hitting the other guys on every play. But what he really loves is getting pressure on the QB. "There's really nothing like hitting the quarterback," he says.
When asked about his personal highlight of the Raiders' inaugural season, the always humble Stewart chose an overall highlight for the team instead - the 106-6 drubbing of the Rome Rampage on April 27th. "We came out and played as a team," says Stewart of that record-setting victory. "The fans were in it. It was a great feeling." Stewart was a key factor in limiting the Rampage to six points and scored six of his own on a fumble which he returned for a touchdown that night.
Stewart is convinced that the Raiders are poised to win a championship in 2013, and it is easy to be persuaded by his optimism and enthusiasm. "We're building a program where we will be able to compete with the Tarpons," he said of the team's nemesis, the Florida Tarpons. "Even now we're building off-field chemistry - barbecues and things like that. Off-field chemistry helps build chemistry on the field. The goal is to win the Championship, to come back to Lakeland with some hardware."
There is empirical evidence to support Stewart's enthusiasm for the 2013 Raiders season. Last season the team was plagued by injuries and some off-field personnel problems that impacted the team's performance in games. "We never had the same team from one week to another," Kendrick explains. "That's not what we're trying to bring to Lakeland. We don't want (disciplinary problems) tacked onto our name. It had an impact on us, but at some point you've got to step up and move on. You have to have a short term memory to play football."
This season, the Raiders offense will be led by newly-acquired quarterback BJ Hall. Stewart considers the signing of Hall to be the biggest upgrade in an offseason full of them. "BJ is a legit guy," according to Stewart. "He will finish the season. He's dependable and accountable to his teammates - he's a leader."
Although Stewart relishes and appreciates his playing time - especially in front of his home town family, friends, and fans - his true passion is coaching. His work with the kids as Lakeland High School is truly rewarding. "Their eyes glow. I was just in those shoulder pads in 2005 (Stewart's senior year when LHS won a state championship). It feels good to give back to them. It drives me to coach. I like using my knowledge and experience to give back to kids."
Stewart's exceptional willingness to be flexible in helping his team has roots back in that 2005 5A State Championship. Stewart, who considers Tackle to be his natural position, was asked to switch to Guard just before the start of Lakeland's championship run. He willingly made the move and it contributed significantly to earning a state ring. That selfless attitude has carried over into his professional career. As Kendrick puts it, "Whatever the team needs, let's do it."
His selflessness and play-making ability have not gone unnoticed by the fans or the coaching staff. "He was one player we could depend on both on and off the field," says coach Mink. "We just need to surround ourselves with 17 more K2's and we believe in 2013 we have done that." Stewart will lead the Lakeland Raiders into their sophomore season in the UIFL beginning in March 2013.
Ultimate Indoor Football League Stories from November 13, 2012
- Get to Know the Players: Kendrick Stewart - Lakeland Raiders
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