As Rob Shafer sat in the stands at the Fall Sports Kick-off night, he expected to see his son, Lane, announced as a 2013 MSHS Soccer team player. But he will never forget the moment when his son, Lane was announced as part of the 2013 MSHS Football team.
When Lane, a lifelong soccer player, decided to try out as a kicker for the football team early this summer, he thought about keeping it a secret from both his parents.
“It was just something I thought would be fun and different,” Lane said. “My dad played football in high school. I wanted to play so he could relate to me and be proud of what I’m doing.”
He asked his mom, Michelle, to buy him a football, but when he needed to ask her for a second, Lane decided to let her in on his plan.
“I decided I probably can’t do this on my own,” Lane said. “So a couple of days later, I told my mom. She thought it was great, but (my dad) was still left in the dark.”
Although Lane was talking with head football coach Keith Pogue and head soccer coach John Moore about playing both sports his junior year, he missed football camp in June. When Lane joined the team at their July camp, his soccer and football schedule kept him away from home all day.
Rob, owner of Shafer Smiles, leaves for work very early in the morning.
In July and early August, Lane left his house for soccer practice in the morning, and then went to football practice. After a short break, he returned for another soccer practice, and then another football practice. Lane returned home after 9 p.m. some nights.
“When I’d come home, he didn’t ask many questions,” Lane said. “If he did, I just told him I was staying after to work on soccer.”
Lane said through the football team and family friends, many Mahomet residents knew about the surprise, but no one told his dad.
When the football team was the first to be announced at Fall Sports Night, Lane thought his surprise was ruined. The team waited for five minutes to be announced.
“I thought I was going to stand out and the surprise was going to be ruined because I was in my soccer uniform and everyone else had on football uniforms,” Lane said. “It won’t be a special moment. But he didn’t even see me.”
Rob looked up and down the line to just see who decided to play football this year. Lane was standing right in front of where Rob was sitting. Rob didn’t realize his son was standing on the field until they announced Lane’s name, he stepped forward and waved.
“I thought, ok, he’s in a lot of stuff,” Rob said. “He knows a lot of people. He was able to pull off some joke to stand out there from the football side of it.”
Rob did not notice his daughter, Ella was taping his reaction.
Rob asked his family if Lane was going to manage the team or take statistics. His wife told him Lane is a kicker on this year.
“This is the biggest positive surprise I’ve ever had,” Rob said. “It was kind of ridiculous that I didn’t see him, but I’m glad I didn’t because it wouldn’t have been that surprise.”
Rob said he is glad Lane did not approach him when he made the decision to play football because Lane is in so many activities, he probably would have discouraged Lane from playing.
While Lane loves to play soccer because it demands he stays in shape and gives players freedom to control the game, he also likes being a part of the football team. Lane spent all summer learning the form and steps it takes to kick the football.
With the help of his parents, Lane was able to play in a soccer tournament in Urbana on Sept. 6 and, make it to the 7 p.m. kick-off of the football team’s game against Prairie Central.
“Since he went the soccer route, I never thought he would play football,” Rob said. “I’m glad he thinks of it like he wanted to do it because I did it, but that’s not really what’s important to me.”
