2024 ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Parker graduate Paul Kim played in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association High School All-Star Game. Kim will start at cornerback in his sophomore season for UW-Whitewater today against Carleton (Minn.) College at Perkins Stadium, 1 p.m.
2024 ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Parker graduate Paul Kim played in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association High School All-Star Game. Kim will start at cornerback in his sophomore season for UW-Whitewater today against Carleton (Minn.) College at Perkins Stadium, 1 p.m.
WHITEWATER — In fall practice 2024, defensive back Paul Kim lined up against senior wide receiver Steven Hein during the first week and school was in session. It was Kim who was about to be schooled.
Now as a sophomore, Kim, who received honorable mention All-WIAC acknowledgement in his first season, hopes to impart some of those lessons against opponents as the Warhawks host Carleton (Minn.) College at 1 p.m. today at Perkins Stadium.
Hein showed Kim just how different playing football for UW-Whitewater was going to be compared to his time at ÌÇÐÄVlog´«Ã½ Parker.
In Kim’s words, Hein “just absolutely messed me up.â€
Hein ran a dig route on Kim and was able to free himself up for the catch after making his break.
“I realized it was a different ball game from there,†Kim said.
The rest of fall camp was filled with those types of moments for Kim as he learned what it would take to become a cornerback at the NCAA Division III level.
“The first week of fall camp,†Kim said. “that was a welcoming moment, just getting beat, mostly every play.â€
But Kim would eventually make significant adjustments, he made 21 solo tackles, 10 assisted tackles, defended four passes and a forced fumble.
Against UW-Oshkosh, 51 days after the first practice of fall camp, Kim made one of the game’s most impactful plays.
The Titans were on the Warhawks’ 46-yard line and trailed 21-14, looking to score a game-tying touchdown with less than six minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
As Titans quarterback Cole Warren looked for a receiver, he was blindsided by Kim, which resulted in a fumble. The play pushed the Titans back nine yards and the Warhawks went on to secure the win.
That game also marked Kim’s first start.
The following week against UW-Stout, Kim started again and went on to make two tackles and broke up a pass.
Even against UW-Oshkosh, he would tell you his performance wasn’t perfect.
“Especially during the Oshkosh game, since it was my first start… you know being nervous, just a lot of double moves I got beat on because I wasn’t disciplined enough. There was blown coverages,†Kim said.
Each of those plays gave Kim another chance to grow his game.
One of the things he had to improve most was press coverage.
“In high school, we didn’t really press as much as we did in college. So I was just backpedaling every route in high school. But then when I got to college it was if you want to be a good corner you have to learn how to press,†Kim said.
Kim talked about him being mentored from veteran safeties and cornerbacks on the team. He also said Egon Hein, a 2023 All-American cornerback that graduated that year, would talk to him on the phone.
“He really helped me bring my confidence up a lot,†Kim said.
As Kim prepares to go into his second season, the lessons learned from his first will help him achieve his 2025 goals.
“I just want to have a great season,†he said. “You know just be on the top guys in the WIAC that every team fears. I want to put myself in a position to win every play.â€
