Spencer Lockhart: Scintillating Safety

Hopkins football runs in the family: Lockhart’s  brother Benjamin ’11, also played football for Hopkins. “My brother playing here means Hopkins football has been a huge part of my life ever since kindergarten,” Lockhart said. “So, growing up, I always looked forward to playing here and wearing the maroon and gray.”

When Lockhart first arrived at Hopkins as a seventh grader, he was “really shy and nervous.” He said, “Playing football made me more confident, on and off the field.” 

Lockhart is passionate about helping his team improve. Remembering how scary it was to be a new student at Hopkins, Lockhart began using his free periods to help to coach the junior school football team during their athletics block. He said, “I would have loved for an older player to give me advice and help me when I was new.” Lockhart also said “the experience made me remember being a seventh grader, when I looked up to all of the older athletes. Reflecting on it is funny, because it reminds me that as the captain of the team, all of the younger players are looking up to me now, so I want to be a good role model.”

Doug Guilford ’19 said, “Spencer brought us together as a team, with leadership, humor, and just overall being a great guy. He became a really good friend of mine and I’m going to miss him not only on the field, but the on The Hill, too.”

Head Coach Tim Phipps said, “Spencer fought through a tremendous amount of personal, emotion and physical hardships this season.  Despite all of the struggles he faced, he always did his job and he did it well.  Spencer’s passion for the game and love for his teammates was evident every time he took the field.  He will be sorely missed next season.”

Lockhart’s advice to the younger students at Hopkins is to “remember that high school won’t last forever. You have to take advantage of all of the opportunities presented to you.”

Although he doesn't plan on playing football at the next level, Lockhart said, “[I] would love to continue to play the game… this season’s team was the best, most tightknit group of guys” [he’d ever been a part of at Hopkins].