Pictured above is Mike Shackelford (dad), Nathan Shackelford, Leann Shackelford (mom), and Kora Shackelford (sister)
Effingham, IL -(Effingham Radio)-With family, teammates and coaches in attendance two Effingham senior football players signed their letter of intent to continue their football playing careers at the collegiate level. Effingham Senior Quarterback Nathan Shackelford signed his letter of intent to play at the DIII school University of Wisconsin – Platteville. The Pioneers of UW-Platteville are probably most known their success on the hardwood with former Wisconsin Head Coach Bo Ryan but they do have a successful football program as well.
“It’s a great school on the education side of things, they are a larger school they have a good education program and that’s what I want to go in to, it’s one of the best in state of Wisconsin for that. On the football side of things they have a successful program, they have coaches that know what they are doing and they have been around the game for a long time they are great guys as well. The facilities and college football aspect of it was unmatched by anyone else I saw.”
At Effingham Shackelford saw some time at receiver and QB but when i asked what position he would play in college he expects to stay under center. “I’d obviously love to stay at quarterback that’s the position I have been recruited to play but they understand I am an athlete and if they needed me to play somewhere else I’d be more than will to do so if I can help the team win but I think ill end up playing quarterback that’s the plan for now.”
He plans on working some things in the off season to get prepared for the next level “Footwork always needs improvement at any level so I’m going to work on my footwork, my throwing motion isn’t the greatest, my shoulder dips a little bit every now and then when I throw and just being prepared at the college level you watch a lot of film I need to learn what to look for and adapting to the to the game will be the biggest challenge.”
The Effingham football team went 11-2 this past season with many memorable moments the community won’t soon forget but as for Shack two stand out for him “Beating Taylorville with a running clock at Taylorville that’s something that we wanted to do since they did that to us on our field the year before. The main thing was going into Prairie Central being tied at halftime, that was a great game then coming out and playing the way we were capable of playing and going to the semis for the first time in history that’s something only we can say we did so id say that was the most memorable for me.”
Pictured above is Madison Doedtman, Maveryck (son), Logan Brown, Melissa Brown (mom), Jim Brown (dad)
Back Row Effingham High School Head Football Coach Brett Hefner
Logan Brown also signed his letter of intent to play football at Eastern Illinois University. “It’s been a childhood dream since 7th Grade to play at Eastern, I always loved the campus. I went to a football camp there and we could always go around the campus on the final day so I have always loved it.”
Brown played on both sides of the ball at Effingham but plans on sticking with defense at the next level “I got recruited to play defense the safety position and that’s almost what I play now.” But it was a tough decision to give up the offense side but decide to go where he made his name and he would rather “Show them what’s up on D.”
He also plans on working on few things to get prepared for the next level ” They really liked my height and weight so i feel like speed is really the only thing thing I lack Im going to workout in the off season to try and improve that.