Lapeer East senior Mike Sawchuk on February 10 celebrated his signing of a letter of intent to play football for Wayne State University next year.
Having been projected as a safety by the WSU defensive staff, Sawchuk, who was an All-League defensive back as a junior prior to throwing for 1,201 yards and running for 1,063 yards as a senior, joins a WSU squad that went 9-2 overall in 2010.
“I’ve wanted this ever since I was little,” he told The County Press in an interview. “To finally actually do it is a huge accomplishment. This is the dream, what I’ve always wanted to do” said Sawchuk.
“It means a lot that my family supports me in everything I choose. They’re completely behind me. I’m going to miss my teammates a lot, too. They’re also my family and I’ve grown up playing football with them, so it’ll be really hard leaving them and moving on with a new group of people.”
Having also considered institutions including Grand Valley State University, Ferris State and Michigan Tech, Sawchuk was drawn to the Wayne State campus as much for its academics as anything else, where he plans to become a pre-med major in preparation for an eventual run at medical school.
“This is a great accomplishment for Mike, a real testament to all the hard work he’s put in,” said East football coach Jake Weingartz. “He’s a great kid and is going to a great university and he has an opportunity to play collegiate athletics, which is huge.”
