Senior Owen Shakal, a standout football player, announced his commitment to Springfield College on Friday via Instagram. Shakal is a member of the football team as well as the basketball team.
Shakal is an avid defensive back who recorded multiple tackles this season and forced dozens of incomplete passes. Although his sophomore season was cut short, Shakal was a varsity starter for both his junior and senior seasons, posing as a major threat to every wide receiver. Unfortunately, Shakal suffered an ACL injury halfway through this season, but that didn’t stop him from providing the constant leadership the Blue Devils needed. “This season really showed how when you come together as a family and put the work in, that you can always be successful,” Shakal said. “Last year we had a losing record and we knew we had to turn it around.”
Shakal will be joining the Pride next fall, a private institution that competes at the Division III level in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). Springfield is located in Springfield, MA, and is an extremely prestigious football school ending last season with an impressive 9-3 record and taking first place in its conference.
“I chose Springfield because when I visited, the culture there was different than any other school I went to,” said Shakal. “They are a very good and gritty football team that I knew I would like. I connected very well with all of the coaches as they showed that they really wanted me on the team.”
Shakal has had a long connection with football, playing ever since he was young, and is a natural-born leader as he was named co-captain of the Blue Devils football team this past season. His older brother, Dan Shakal, also plays football in college for Franklin & Marshall.
Shakal owes much of his football success and achievements to the Westfield football program and coaches because “the football team through these four years has been an amazing experience. Every year the team comes together and we really are a family. I don’t know what I would do without football and the type of camaraderie that I have at Westfield.”
The Westfield football program is dedicated to helping athletes improve to the best of their ability and strives at assisting athletes with the recruitment process. With this dedicated help, Shakal was able to achieve one of his biggest goals and is super grateful.
Despite his injury, Shakal is more determined than ever to make a statement at Springfield and show his true potential as a player. “I am looking forward to obviously playing football but also to joining the family that they already have at Springfield. I also want to build new friendships with people on the team that will last a long time.”
