Foreign Exchange Student Recovering From Gunshot Wound

Sunday, February 4th 2007, 3:47 pm

By: News On 6

While neither kicker in Sundayâ€™s Super Bowl shot their team in the foot with a missed kick, a Green Country kicker literally did just that on a recent hunting trip. The News on 6â€™s Chris Wright reports on the kicker and his unfortunate accident.

Foreign exchange student Phillip Sirch came to Oklahoma for the 'American Experience.' He is attending Pryor High School, played on the football team, and when some friends offered to take him duck hunting, he jumped at the opportunity.

The Websterâ€™s, who are hosting Phillip while he is in Pryor, say the young German has been eager to try new things, including hunting. Phillipp though does have much experience with guns, and while duck hunting with some friends, he left the safety off while resting his 20 gauge on his foot. The gun then went off.

"I didn't realize that I shot my foot, but I kind of know it, so I asked who shot the ducks, and they said I think you shot your foot," said Phillipp Sirch.

Phillipp had shot a hole through his prized right foot. He played soccer growing up in Germany, and when he arrived in Pryor, the football coach immediately named him the kicker. Because Phillipp shot a hole in his kicking foot, doctors have told him he may never play soccer or football again. Phillipp though has other ideas.

"They always give you the worst case,â€ said the foreign exchange student. â€œThey told me I was going to lose my toe, but I didn't. They told me I won't play soccer again, but I guess I will."

His host family says Phillip has been surprisingly upbeat since the accident.

The Websterâ€™s have hosted several exchange students in the past, but say dealing with the hunting mishap was a first for them.

"None of them have shot themselves in the foot,â€ said Phillippâ€™s host mother Pamela Webster. â€œWe've had maybe a few little accidents."

Phillipp, who will head back to Germany after the school year ends, says he refuses to let the accident sour the rest of his stay.

"I want to stick around, I don't want to go home, I'll suck it up," Sirch said.

Phillipp admits that during the first few games of the football season, he had no idea what was going on. His coaches just told him when and where to kick, and he did it. But Phillipp says he has grown quite fond of the game, and he watched the Super Bowl with the Websterâ€™s Sunday night.