| Transcript |
SEAN SCHWERY
After football career ended, former lineman turned to education, graduation for his future
"1 didn't feel pressured to go to college, I felt and his playing ability led to football scholar- In the off season, he did much better,
pressured to play athletics," said Sean Schwery ship offers from Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, making the dean's list, without the pressures
now a graduate of the University of Houston.
He was the biggest thing to come out of
Nebraska.
At 6'9, and a solid high school tackle for
a small Nebraska town, Schwery was one of the
best athletes in town, and he felt obligated to
perform well.
"Since I was a kid, as far as athletics goes,
Iowa, and many other states. ofpracticeandgames.Theonlyproblemwas,
Schwery was actively scouted by he was taking his junior and senior classes,
many colleges, including a trip to Houston to and had yet to take basic freshman courses,
meet with then-coach Bill Yeoman and his The academic advisor told him that
assistant Pat Donahoe. But by then, Schwery was fine, and the next fall he had been signed
had already signed his letter of intent with up for Anatomy, Biology, Sociology and a
Colorado State. difficult football season, including a week in
"I told him that I'd loved to play (in Hawaii-for a conference game. The absences
everyone told me'you're going to do this, you're Houston),butI'dalreadysigned,andIwasn't piled up, and despite the notes from the
going to do that.'. In high school, I loved wres- going to go back on my word. As I was athletics department, Schwery failed
tling.Iplayedfootballandbasketball,butIloved leaving, Coach Donahoe said that I'd always Anatomy. This lead to double probation,
wrestling. I was state champion and went to have a home if I wanted to come back. "I told the coaches that if I didn't get
nationals two years in a row, but in our home "I chose Colorado State because my the help I needed that I was going to be
town everybody thrownoutof school.
thought I should play
basketball since I was 6
Townspeople
even went as far as boy-
cottinghis family's hardware store, pressuring
his coach, and him into
playing basketball and
■Wi
Iwentintospringand
hen I gOt OUt Of high SChool, I Wasn't beggedfortutors,for
r\ r i i • t .all my classes, and I
going to college for an education. I was going
to college to play football, not to learn, because
that is what a scholarship is for, football."
-former Colorado State lineman Sean Schwery
was told that Ishould
wait and ask after recruiting and on and
on. I told them, you'll
be out one offensive
lineman if I don't get
a tutor"
Schwery said that this went on for
weeks, but still no tutors, and he told his
coaches that he was making Us in his classes,
but still no response.
"I told them I'm not going to stand
giving up wrestling during a drive to be state girlfriend lived close by and that Ft. Collins is
champions in 1984. He had started for the bas- onlytwoandahalfhoursawaysomyparents
ketball team for two years, but many people could come to the games. If I went to Ne-
thought wrestling would interfere with his bas- braska, well thaf s still an eight hour drive,
ketball performance. and at UCLA and Houston it would have
Although he didn't continue to wrestle been hard for them to see me play"
past his sophomore year, he received several Schwery entered Colo. St. as a pre- there and let my life go down the tubes,
wrestling scholarship offers. He also was re- med student, and was assigned to an upper- because you won't give me the help that I
cruited for his basketball and football skills. classman on the team, who was to help him need. If s your duty as coaches to make sure
"Although I could have played basket- with his studies. that we get a quality education, and you
ball, or wrestled, I loved football," said Schwery. Thelinebackerhappened tobeaparty should responsible for us, to help us get the
"I always liked banging people around. I liked animal. "I patterned myself after him. I didn't grades that we need."
wrestling because it wasn't a team sport. In realize, until after my first semester was over, It would take a 3.0 to keep him at
football you have the camaraderie of the team, that I was on academic probation, and that no Colo. State, and he was barely making a 2.0.
but there's also some degree of finger-pointing medicalschoolwilltouchyouwithoutatleast The coaches were gone a year later, but it was
when you lose, but when you're on the mat, a 3.6 GPA. too late, and Schwery was contemplating the
you're the only person to blame if you lose, and "I decided that I really should re- services, or to try football at another school.
the only one to pat your back when you win." think what I was doing. I went to go see the He remembered Coach Donahoe backatuH
* The Omaha World Herald compared athletic academic advisor, but she was never had said the door was left open for him here,
both Schwery, the largest senior football player around, really. Then I went to see the receivers
in Nebraska and the states' smallest player in coach, the one that gets us our tutors, but he
1985, giving Schwery some great attention. This kept saying that he was busy, and giving me
the run-around."
'When I went to Colo. State, I didn't
think that it was a big problem having only
one kidney. They did the medical reports and
an assessment, told me to sign a waiver
and
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