Gunnar Wetzel '22 Recruiting Profile

My ambition is to attend an academically rigorous university, at which I can study Physical Therapy, while playing on a well rounded, dedicated, and highly competitive football team. 

Growing up in a small rural town certainly had its benefits. Attending a small  IIIA school allowed me to explore many different athletic opportunities until I was able to hone in on the sports that I am now most dedicated to; football and basketball.  

While my first athletic passion, since the age of 5 has been basketball, every fall I requested that my parents allow me to play football. Watching college football every Saturday followed by NFL on Sunday, I dreamt of becoming an all star lineman. Finally, during my sophomore year in high school my parents agreed to allow me to play the sport that I so badly desired to play. As a 6’ 5” 270 pound sophomore, I was heavily recruited by a neighboring school district, at which I agreed to play. Sophomore year was a year of learning, development, and agility training. I took the field for every game and played both offensive guard and defensive end. and defense. At the close of the season, my first season in the game, I earned my Varsity letter and was named ‘Most Improved Player” by my coaches and teammates.  I continued to work and train with the head coach during the off season to develop my skills as both an offensive guard and defensive end. I returned to the field, for a second year in this incredible sport, as a Junior. With continued dedication and drive, I was selected to lead my team through the season as the Team Captain. Together, our team made incredible strides as a unit and I was fortunate to be able to develop my leadership skills with an amazing group of dedicated football players. I am proud to share that at the close of the 2020 season, I was nominated by my head coach as well as other coaches around the league, for Lineman of The Year in our Division. 

My athletic ability and participation in many sports throughout my athletic career, which began at the age of 5, has driven me to pursue a career that will benefit athletes by keeping them healthy, fit and in their game. I have been fortunate to have had incredible athletic trainers and therapists over the course of my athletic career thus far whhc has led me to the field of Physical Therapy. Academically I find myself experiencing high levels of success in the sciences. 

I see my years in college to be a time for personal growth both on the field as well as academically. On the field, I will be a dynamic player and teammate. My leadership skills are most certainly an asset that I will bring to the field to support and encourage my teammates. My family mantra is ‘Work hard! Play hard!” That is exactly what I intend to do. I will conduct myself both on and off the field with honor and integrity as I understand that my character is reflected in all that I do. 

I would like to put in a special thank you to my parents, siblings, grandparents and all of my coaches for helping me grow into the person that I have become and continue to develop.