Sports

Wettlaufer fulfills dream to play college football

By Tyler Ohmann

02/12/2013

Beginning next fall Trevor Wettlaufer will lace up for Division II Bemidji State in Minnesota.

Wettlaufer signed an offer of admission to Bemidji State this past Wednesday on college football’s National Signing Day.

Inking that paper was a dream of Wettlaufers that he has held on to since elementary school.

“It’s kind of always been my dream to play college football,” Wettlaufer said. “My dad kind of got me hooked when I was like 10 or 11.”

His dad, Jerry Wettlaufer, the FFA advisor and a teacher at BHS, didn’t know it, but a trip he took Trevor on to an NDSU football game, helped shape his son’s dream.

“We went to an NDSU Bison game, and I thought it would be kind of cool to be one of those people,” Wettlaufer said. “I think it got more realistic the older I got, and the more opportunities came in front of me because of my success in football and track.”

Wettlaufer began being seen as a college prospect after the North Dakota State University (NDSU) summer camps that he attended before his junior and senior seasons.

However, major interest came after this past season as Wettlaufer set the Braves single season rushing record with 1,749 yards on the ground this past fall. He finished with 3,435 career yards and was named an All-State selection, as well as an All-Region selection for the third consecutive year.

“A lot of that success came from hard work, and I’m not afraid of working hard,” Wettlaufer said. “You have got to have a lot of self motivation too.”

All this helped Wettlaufer’s stock in recruiting circles, including the Beavers, who he met at the camps back at NDSU.

“A couple weeks after our season got over, they called when they were allowed to contact recruits, and it just went from there,” Wettlaufer said.

Wettlaufer knows, as is custom, that he will be red-shirted as a freshman with the Beavers. He also knows that it means he’ll have to play on the scout team and still have to work hard. All without being able to see the field for at least a year, maybe more.

“The first year is going to be a learning experience for sure,” Wettlaufer said. “I’ll have to get stronger, faster, smarter, that type of thing.”

Football won’t be the only big change for Wettlaufer in college though. The everyday college student life will be quite a change as well, he admitted.

“The whole college and living experience will be different too,” Wettlaufer said. “Living six hours away from home, I’ll have to kind of live with myself, besides the football team, so it will definitely be a learning experience.”

Wettlaufer said that when he does end up taking the field he’ll either likely play running back or safety, but depending on several variables he isn’t sure.

“I’m open to everything,” Wettlaufer said. “I’m most familiar with running back since I’ve played it since I was a seventh grader, but I’m definitely open for anything.”

No matter what happens, Wettlaufer is living out a dream.