BROWNWOOD, Texas- The Howard Payne's men's soccer team features many leaders all over the pitch. One of those leaders is graduate defender, Cameron Phipps, who has spent this season as the Howard Payne men's soccer captain.

Growing up in Brownwood, Phipps said that he had always been a fan of Howard Payne's soccer program and one of his favorite memories was watching one of the semi-professional games that Howard Payne hosted at the Citizens National Bank Soccer Field. His passion for soccer pushed him to pursue a collegiate playing career; however, that was something that didn't work out for him coming out of high school.

"I had joined many different leagues and a bunch of different games, Phipps said. "I always had that urge to want to go play at the next level."

Phipps decided he would attend Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. At San Angelo, he was given an opportunity to stay involved in soccer as a coach for San Angelo's women's soccer program. After being involved in that program for a year, Phipps said he wanted to play again. "I thought I had a really good set up at Angelo State," Phipps said. "I thought was going to stay at Angelo State and continue my coaching career there, but God had other plans for me. I was able to talk to Coach [McGibeny], and he made everything happen."

Being a coach gave Phipps the ability to develop leadership skills among his peers, and his teammates took notice of that. Prior, to this season, Phipps was voted the Yellow Jackets' team captain. Phipps said being captain is one of the biggest accomplishments of his career.  "It was one of my favorite accomplishments that I had, Phipps said. "I want to be a coach, so seeing that Coach [McGibeny], and the other team mates that I have see those leadership qualities in me really made me feel good. To be a captain, being able to raise my teammates up and being able to help them not at their best but also at their worst helps me as a leader instill the coaching qualities I want to see."

Another big moment came during this season in the 3-1 win against Arlington Baptist University at home. The Yellow Jackets were down 0-1 and needed a spark to get the momentum to bring them back into the game. Phipps provided that spark with by scoring a header off a set piece that delivered by sophomore defender Josh Montanez.

"I had talked to Coach [McGibeny] many times that there had been many opportunities to score or assist, but I wasn't finding the right moments, or I wasn't able to capitalize on some of our chances, Phipps said. "I really want to contribute on the scoresheet. I know numbers aren't everything, but it would mean a lot if I could score a goal. I really want to get into the attack more.

"As I saw the ball hit the back of the net, it was such a surreal feeling. Being able to celebrate with my teammates and seeing my friends and family on the sideline and seeing my coach on the other sideline, it was just such an amazing feeling having everybody that I wanted in that moment to be able to celebrate and to help my team get back into the game, in which we eventually were able to end up winning."

Phipps was able to get his second goal of his college career a few games later in a similar situation against the McMurry University War Hawks.