Andrews does double duty for Hinsdale South

Updated: July 5, 2011 3:16PM

The one commodity Nate Andrews searches for this summer is sleep.

The Hinsdale South junior has lacked it since school ended June 10. The two-sport athlete had no idea just how busy his summer would turn out. It has been an unexpected roller-coaster ride shuttling from football to basketball practices during the day and then playing in summer league basketball games in the evening.

On a few weekends, the basketball team even plays in shootouts on Fridays and Saturdays.

On June 30, Andrews participated with the Hornets football team in the second of two days at the inaugural West Suburban Conference 7-on-7 passing tournament at Addison Trail. Hinsdale South played in four games starting at 10 a.m. and the event ended by 1 p.m.

After returning home, Andrews was planning on going to Hinsdale South that afternoon for a pair of summer league basketball games at 4:20 and 5:30. He already played in two summer league games one day earlier.

The basketball team also hosts summer league games at the school on Monday evenings.

“I’m mainly tired in the morning,” Andrews said. “I sleep as much as possible.”

The summer league games and 7-on-7 sessions are quite a contrast to last year’s schedule when Andrews was a 5-foot-8, 130-pound sophomore defensive back-wide receiver and a guard on the sophomore basketball team.

Last summer, Andrews remembers getting up for basketball practice at 11 a.m. and then heading to football practice at 1:30 p.m. That was the end of his day. Going back to school for a second trip in the day was very rare.

“I’ve been getting up pretty early for football (now) and then going home and taking a nap,” Andrews said.

As a receiver, one of Andrews’ primary concerns this summer is learning the plays for new football coach Mike Barry’s no-huddle spread offense. Andrews also is learning the difference in play – and speed – between varsity football and the sophomore level.

“It’s a smooth (coaching transition),” Andrews said. “Now there is so much fun to come.”

In basketball, Andrews is seeing time in a reserve role, which is different than last year’s impact made on the sophomore team. Andrews sits behind a pair of top returning senior guards, Phil George and Dijon James, who are getting the bulk of the playing time. George is Hinsdale South’s top returning scorer.

Andrews does what he can to support the team and hopes to play more next season.

The Hornets opened the summer in June with shootout appearances at Riverside-Brookfield and Stagg. Hinsdale South will take a break while many players such as George and center Brock Benson compete in AAU tournaments in July.

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