West Shamokin’s Shaeffer Commits to Slippery Rock
Pictured with Brad Schaeffer during Wednesday’s announcement were: (Front Row) Grandmother Jan Mechling, Mother Cher Shaeffer, Brad and Father John Shaeffer along with (Back Row) Athletic Director Ray Blystone and Head Football Coach Jon McCullough. (submitted photo)
by Jonathan Weaver
West Shamokin Wolves’ starting offensive lineman Brad Shaeffer will play football again this fall for Slippery Rock University.
Shaeffer, of Spaces Corners, signed a National Letter of Intent February 3 to play at the Division II school while studying physical therapy.
“It fits me really well academically and I love the coaches there,” Shaeffer said. “I thought (Slippery Rock) fit me the best.”
Shaeffer turned down scholarship offers from a myriad of other universities such as Division II Lock Haven University and Division III schools St. Vincent University (in Greensburg, Westmoreland County) and the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio.
“(Slippery Rock) was really where I wanted to go from the beginning. Of course I was open to other options but once they gave me a call and said ‘We want to have you up to campus for a visit,’ I was beyond excited,” Shaeffer said.
He was confident his work ethic would land him a spot on the starting roster. He hoped West Shamokin’s rising football record caught the eye of the coaching staff.
“I think it will be a fun challenge. So far, (Slippery Rock) has only won conference championships, but we’ll see if I can get them that national championship,” Shaeffer said.
Slippery Rock is coming off a 12-2 record in 2015 that tied the program’s best finish ever. The Rock reached the NCAA quarterfinals and finished the year ranked No. 7 in the final official Division II rankings.
In a press release, Slippery Rock Head Coach Shawn Lutz also complimented Shaeffer
“Brad does a great job using his hands and has great feet. He will be a guy that will work hard and strive to be the best,” Lutz wrote.
Shaeffer was inspired to pursue physical therapy after his own football injury.
“Back in 10th grade, I tore my ACL in a scrimmage game and I had to go through six months of (physical therapy),” Shaeffer said.
Shaeffer, who has continued to work out since December, has played football since he was about eight years old.
West Shamokin Football Head Coach Jon McCullough said Shaeffer was a force on the football field and was a positive influence in the locker room.
“Brad has the body type a lot of schools look at. He had a really good season for us, really anchored the left side of our line,” Coach McCullough said. “I thought during the last half of the season he was playing as well as anybody in the conference.”
In a press release, Athletic Director Ray Blystone was “extremely proud” of the Slippery Rock commit.
“West Shamokin High School and Athletic Department are extremely proud of Brad. He has been a leader on and off the football field here at West Shamokin, and we wish him nothing but the best as he embarks on his collegiate career and pursues his degree in Physical Therapy,” Blystone wrote.
Shaeffer does not know any other West Shamokin students enrolling in Slippery Rock University yet.
Local Sports | jweaver February 8, 2016
No Comments
No comments yet.
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
