View on YouTubeThe Spirit of Jake West is alive and well at
LaPorte (Ind.).
West, who also played lacrosse, was a popular junior defensive standout in the fall of 2013 on the football team when he collapsed and died during a football practice due to an undetected heart ailment. The football team received great support from inside and outside the LaPorte community and West's mother, Julie Schroeder, started a "Play for Jake Foundation," which continues to grow.
Jake West
Photo courtesy of Barry Happel
Schroeder explained, "Our mission is to raise awareness and to provide funds and heart screens for our youth. Play For Jake was founded so that children starting in middle school should be screened for undetected heart conditions. The risk is real."
She has made close to 25 speeches to various organizations and it has been reported that at least six lives locally already have been saved by the awareness that routine physicals do not cover. Among those found to have the same heart defect was his sister, Courtney.
This would have been Jake's senior year and his spirit still lives in the hearts of his former teammates. The initials "JW" are on every player's helmet. His uniform number, 26, is honored by painting the 26-yard lines on each end of the Slicers' home field orange. There also is a flag in the end zone with the No. 26 on it that was donated by Duneland Conference rival Merrillville.
West's legacy could never be more evident than this year. Coming off two 1-9 seasons, the Slicers (8-5) have put together an amazing run during the Class 5A state playoffs, winning four straight tourney games and reaching the Class 5A state finals for the first time in their long history. They will play 11-time champion Indianapolis Cathedral, which has won its last 29 playoff games, Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Veteran coach Bob Schellinger does not discount West's memory as one of the key ingredients in his team's unexpected run for the state title.
He told MaxPreps that several times during last week's 35-7 semi-state victory over former state champion Snider (Fort Wayne), "I asked Jake to help us out. He means everything to these kids. That's what they have to hang on to. His spirit is what pulled everybody together and helped unify our team. We haven't been behind in the tournament yet."
Senior linebacker
Noah Boardman, who is a major part of an outstanding defense, was West's best friend since age 10.
Boardman said, "The thought of him really kind of pushes our team to work hard every day and be thankful to have gone as far as we have. We push ourselves each day to honor Jake. I know the person Jake was and he would feel really excited to be a part of that and super energized about the whole experience."
The Slicers also have a strong offensive line and an efficient passing quarterback (junior
Eric Mazany) who have helped senior
Charles Salary smash single-game, season and career rushing records. They have won all five games since Mazany returned from a forced layoff of four games due to a concussion.
The 5-foot-6, 175-pound Salary, who has a running style similar to Barry Sanders, has carried 446 times for 2,866 yards (6.4 average) and 28 touchdowns. He has been held to less than 100 yards just once. Even though he is a marked man in every game, he has fumbled only one time all year.
He actually set single-game records in the season opener with 336 yards and six touchdowns during a 56-42 victory over New Prairie (New Carlisle), which has won its last 13 games and will play for the Class 4A state title on Friday.
Salary said that West "meant a lot to us. He was a great friend of ours."
Schroeder, too, feels her son's presence at every game.
She related, "I have thought about this many times and so many people from family and friends to complete strangers have shared with me, too, that they feel Jake's presence among the team and this journey."
A city-wide pep session for the LaPorte and New Prairie teams was held Tuesday night in the LaPorte gym. One speaker told the large crowd that fans were the 12th man on each team and "Jake West was the 13th man."
Schellinger summed up West's overall impact when he noted, "We throw the word 'Hero' around a lot. I truly believe Jake is a hero after his passing. They're now testing people (and saving lives) to detect heart ailments."
