Peninsula High’s ‘gentle giant’ Andrew Russell rides through life on his back wheel

He’d see the huge child with the lengthy, flowing hair popping a wheelie on his option to college, doing donuts on his 29-inch Huge Ripper BMX across the parking zone, and Peninsula soccer coach David Younger was baffled.

What are you doing? Younger would suppose, watching Andrew Russell. You’re going to harm your self.

That was earlier than he actually knew Russell. Knew he wasn’t reckless. Wasn’t a hothead. Only a sweet-natured enigma.

After he joined the Peninsula soccer crew, a few of Russell’s teammates ventured to the Business Hills Speedway. They have been there to see him on his off day — a now-17-year-old racing grime bikes professionally, beating adults alongside the best way.

“Coach, you gotta see him, he’s like a celeb,” Younger remembered gamers telling him. “Like, dude, he’s the dude on the market.”

None of it appears to make sense, at first look. Russell is 6 foot 3, weighs 275 kilos and shreds as a motorbike racer in a sport the place the small and wiry are most profitable. He’s a standout lineman, however when he first got here to Peninsula he was planning to affix the marching band. He’s a “hulking determine” who seems to be like a bruiser, Younger mentioned, but in addition one of many nicest youngsters you’ll ever meet.

Toss first impressions out the window. That is simply who Russell is.

“He’s this light big that — he performs music, he rides bikes, and on Fridays, he goes and kicks butt,” Younger mentioned.

The roaring crowds first lit a spark in Russell, tagging alongside to speedway races together with his father, Dave, when he was little. Russell began to race within the second grade, and in 2016 received the 150cc second-division race on the Gumball Rally in Business, a premier race on the flat-track grime speedway.

At that age, he was “possibly one in every of 50 youngsters within the nation” who competed at that stage, his father mentioned.

“He’s like a reputation out at this monitor,” Younger mentioned.

Now, Russell’s record of racing accomplishments and finishes is dizzying, starting from Pee Wee competitions in 2013 to races in entrance of hundreds of spectators within the grownup division this 12 months.

“It’s a thrill,” Russell mentioned. “I’ll by no means get bored with it.”

He was a tuba participant and by no means even watched soccer. When band received placed on maintain his freshman 12 months in the course of the pandemic, he determined to provide the game a attempt.

“I truthfully had no clue how soccer even labored once I first joined,” Russell mentioned.

Particularly no clue the right way to use his body. He was so light, Younger mentioned, that his freshman coach needed to encourage the child to play meaner, to toss round opponents.

As he discovered the sport, his measurement — a detriment at decrease weight courses of bikes as a racer — turned a bonus. He’s improved his go rush and quickness off the snap, Younger mentioned, and turn out to be such a constant presence that he performs offensive and defensive position, taking a handful of performs off a sport.

With an eye fixed on incomes a university soccer supply, Russell is aware of he may need to go away the racing behind in a few years. But, not less than casually, it’ll ceaselessly stay part of his entity.

“The bicycle’s at all times been my escape from the whole lot,” he mentioned.

When he graduated eighth grade as COVID-19 hit, the center college had a drive-through graduation ceremony. So whereas everybody else rolled up in automobiles to select up their diplomas, his dad remembered, Russell careened by by himself on his bike.

Entrance wheel within the air.

“In all places you see him, you simply see him on the again wheel,” Dave Russell mentioned.

Russell dug in on the line in Friday’s 28-21 loss to Redondo Union in a particular setting — an evening sport for Peninsula.

Doesn’t sound significantly distinctive, however the college has by no means put in lights. It was simply the second evening sport at house in Younger’s seven-year tenure, he mentioned. In 2018, when the varsity made the playoffs, Peninsula couldn’t host video games that needed to be performed at 7 p.m.

The group in Rolling Hills, Younger mentioned, had shot down efforts to put in a everlasting gentle system. They have been in a position to “soothe the neighbors” for Friday not less than, Younger mentioned, bringing in an excavator Wednesday to dig up turf for momentary gentle vehicles to be put in.

“We have now to kinda … inform them, ‘Hey, we’ll be cleansing up after this,’ and a few pointless stuff simply to have a soccer sport,” Younger mentioned of the group. “However no matter it takes.”