Colorado University football player Jared Poplawski spent his childhood summer at Menominee. He wrote an open letter about how camp helped him choose the right college, grow as a person and how he still connected with camp despite his athletic commitments:
I was a camper at Menominee from age 6-12 and even in High School when I had football practice all summer long; I would come back to Menominee for 4th of July week. Menominee was trying new sports, meeting new friends, competing in games, waterskiing and campfires; that all comes to mind when I think of summer.
I decided to go out of state for college and it wasn’t an easy choice. I had a scholarship offer from Arizona State a Pac-12 school just 15 min from my hometown. There was a lot of encouragement from teammates, family and friends to stay home. But the best college for me as far as position coach, personal growth, and education was in Colorado at CU Boulder and seemed, as I made my decision, very far away.
Part of the courage to move away for College, grew out of my experience with Menominee. I remembered camp and how I learned to fly across the country to live in a bunk with new friends each summer. It taught me that growing up involves being a little nervous, meeting new people and holding your own. I met new people every year and tried new things but in a really fun way. I think last year as I decided to pick a College and football program in Colorado – the confidence I built by going to camp helped me to make a tough decision. The decision to take a risk, meet new people and hold my own.
I made the travel team as a freshman and got good grades last semester so I think college is going pretty well. Thanks Jason for keeping up “The Way” at Menominee.
Jared Poplawski
#85 TE CU BOULDER