Half a decade after leading the Park Hill football team to its most recent district title – and last double-digit winning season – Kansas State long snapper Randen Plattner has been named a Big 12 Champion for Life.
The fifth-year senior at K-State and 2018 Park Hill graduate joins elite company in the Big 12 Conference among other athletes who have earned the same feat after earning a scholarship in their respective sport. The Big 12 Champion for Life is given to the individuals who embody the defining characteristics of a champion: leadership, perseverance, community service and discipline.
“A message that I would share to anyone, something that I’ve lived by for awhile, is work hard, dream big,” Plattner said. “It’s four little words that carry a lot of impact in my life. It’s an important order; you’ve got to work hard in order to dream big and you can dream big, but then you’ve got to work hard – they go hand in hand.”
When Plattner stepped foot on the campus at K-State in the fall of 2018, there was no guarantee that he would ever play another down of football. The long snapper was a walk-on his freshman year but he was determined to earn a scholarship and find a way to get back onto the football field.
“He came in as a young player as a walk-on and was trying to find his way and listen to the older guys and took that advice from the older guys; then he earned a scholarship and now he’s one of our older players,” K-State head football coach Chris Klieman said. “To watch these young kids and new kids come in and him take them under his wing and him explain things about here’s how you do things academically, here’s how you do things socially, here’s how you do things in the locker room, on the field, he’s become one of our best leaders.”
After being a redshirt freshman in 2018, Plattner played in all 13 games in 2019 and was the primary long snapper on all field goal and extra-point attempts in 2020 – being true to all 144 snaps in that time frame – as he earned First Team Academic All-Big 12 accolades in ‘19 and was a First Team Academic All-Big 12 performer in ‘20. In the aftermath of the 2020 season for K-State, Plattner received a call over the holidays that changed his life.
“Christmas day of 2020, I got a call from Coach Klieman. He called and said, ‘hey, I just wanted to let you know that we’re putting you on scholarship,’ and that was something that I will never forget, and the greatest Christmas present I’ve ever gotten,” Plattner said.
Park Hill alumni and fifth-year Kansas State long snapper Randen Plattner has been named a Big 12 Champion for Life after a remarkable collegiate journey.
In 2021, the Park Hill alumni played in all 13 games as the primary long snapper for punt, field goal and extra points, while being true on all 103 snap attempts and earning First Team Academic All-Big 12 honors. Plattner has helped lead the Wildcats to a 9-3 record so far this season and they are bowl game eligible for the second consecutive year.
“He’s an integral part of Kansas State football, and one of the most respected kids on our football team by what he does on the field, and more importantly, what he does off the field, especially impacting these new kids. He goes above and beyond in doing the things; reaching out to young people, as well as when we do community service events. He’s just a guy that has no problem being out in front and talking about Kansas State and about how, as a mentor, we can really make a difference in kids’ lives,” Klieman said.
Before making an incredible impact at K-State, Plattner left his legacy at Park Hill as he was a three-year letterwinner in football and golf. The long snapper had 11 tackles and one recovered fumble in his high school career, while also helping lead the Trojans to a 10-3 record and a state semifinal appearance as a senior along with being rated the 23rd-best long snapper in the nation at the time, according to Rubio Long Snapping.