Althoff High senior Tyler Birdsong grew up playing a variety of sports and has competed in soccer and baseball throughout his career with the Crusaders.

Last spring on the diamond, he batted .284 with nine RBI and 23 steals. He also went 2-2 with a 3.94 ERA as a pitcher. But Birdsong's game is soccer.

No surprise there. After all, both his parents were standout players in high school and college. And his dad, Skip, is Althoff's principal and head soccer coach. Skip and his wife, Ann (nee Logan), both stood out in soccer at Granite City High and went on to compete at the college level.

A defender, Ann helped lead Granite City to a pair of state trips and earned a third-place finish as a sophomore. She went on to earn All-America honors at Florissant Valley Community College before finish

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