Chris Watkins

Soccer - Class of 1988

"Chris Watkins holds the distinction of being the first great soccer player at Shawnee Mission South. A three-year varsity player for the Raiders during the era when high school spanned just three years, Chris’s talent and achievements set the standard for excellence in South soccer history.

Playing as a forward during his junior and senior years, Chris helped lead the Raiders to back-to-back Sunflower League Championships and the 1986 and 1987 State Championship titles—the first two State high school soccer championships in Kansas history. In 1986, Chris scored the winning goal in overtime to secure South’s first State Championship. The following year, in 1987, he delivered an unforgettable performance by scoring a hat trick in the State Championship game.

Chris’s individual accolades are as impressive as his team achievements. In 1986, he earned 1st Team All-Sunflower League, 1st Team All-Sun Country, and 2nd Team All-Metro honors. But it was in 1987 that Chris truly dominated. He led the state in scoring with 33 goals and was named 1st Team All-Sunflower League, 1st Team All-Sun Country, Sun Country Player of the Year, and Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year. Over those two years, no one in Kansas high school soccer could match his level of play.

After graduating, Chris continued his soccer career at Drake University, where he was named Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and selected for the 1988 US Soccer Central Region Team. He later played professionally in Utah before transitioning into coaching. Chris served as a coach at Brigham Young University and eventually became the head women’s soccer coach for Gonzaga University.

From an exceptional player to an accomplished coach, Chris Watkins has left an indelible mark on the soccer world. The Raider Athletic Hall of Fame is proud to welcome him back home. Congratulations, Chris!"