Hey, it’s good to be back home again

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Jim Haeni, Big Foot Wolves Coach, Travis Frederick and Rodney Wedig, former Big Foot Chiefs coach, listen while Tim Collins, Big Foot High School Athletic Coordinator, talks of Frederick’s journey to becoming an NFL player. Big Foot High School held a ceremony between its Feb. 8 boys junior varsity and varsity basketball games to retire his number 72 jersey. Frederick, a Sharon native, wore number 72 while he attended Big Foot High School, played for the Wisconsin Badgers, and now wears it as a starting center for the Dallas Cowboys. Frederick was drafted as a first-round pick after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison last year, started every game this season with the Cowboys, and was named to the 2013 NFL All Rookie team. (Photo by Dave Baker)
Jim Haeni, Big Foot Wolves Coach, Travis Frederick and Rodney Wedig, former Big Foot Chiefs coach, listen while Tim Collins, Big Foot High School Athletic Coordinator, talks of Frederick’s journey to becoming an NFL player. Big Foot High School held a ceremony between its Feb. 8 boys junior varsity and varsity basketball games to retire his number 72 jersey. Frederick, a Sharon native, wore number 72 while he attended Big Foot High School, played for the Wisconsin Badgers, and now wears it as a starting center for the Dallas Cowboys. Frederick was drafted as a first-round pick after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison last year, started every game this season with the Cowboys, and was named to the 2013 NFL All Rookie team. (Photo by Dave Baker)
Travis Frederick returns home for jersey retirement and to visit with area students

By Kellen Olshefski

Editor

Sharon native and starting center for the Dallas Cowboys Travis Frederick returned home last weekend not only for the retirement of his number by Big Foot High School, but also for a surprise visit to area youth who participated in this year’s Packer Pals program.

The Packer Pals program, run by the Village of Sharon Police Department, was designed to bring the police department and community youth closer together in the hopes youth would approach officers and get to know them better. The program began each week and officers handed out a different Packers card each week to area youth.

The police department sponsored an end of the season party last weekend for are youth, featuring music, food, door prizes and, of course, a surprise visit from Frederick who spoke to youth and signed autographs.

Frederick said, being the place he grew up in, it was good to be back home.

“It’s the place I want to be someday,” he said. “I love it up here and it’s great to see the community and be back in the place that raised me.”

 

Travis Frederick made a surprise stop at the Village of Sharon Police Department’s Packer Pals Party prior to a ceremony Monday afternoon to retire his high school Jersey. Frederick takes time to sign Lauren Glos’s shirt, a smile on his face while at it. (Photo by Kellen Olshefski)
Travis Frederick made a surprise stop at the Village of Sharon Police Department’s Packer Pals Party prior to a ceremony Monday afternoon to retire his high school Jersey. Frederick takes time to sign Lauren Glos’s shirt, a smile on his face while at it. (Photo by Kellen Olshefski)

According to Frederick, programs like the Sharon Police Departments Packer Pals, as well as other programs they’re putting in place, are crucial for area youth.

“Especially in such a small community like we have,” he said. “Everybody knows everybody and it’s important to kind of bridge the gap between some of the authority figures and some of the kids.

“It is such a small community and I really think that’s going to help a lot of those kids develop and really see where they can go.”

In regards to the High School retiring his number, 72, the same number he wears in Dallas, Frederick said it’s really an honor.

“When Coach Wedig first told me about it, it really threw me, took me aback,” he said.

“That’s something you see in the pros, and you see in guys that are absolutely legends. It’s so amazing for me to be able to be a part of that and I’m really excited to be back over there. It’s the same sort of feeling I have here in Sharon, being around Big Foot, it’s a special feeling for me.”

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