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daughter, Sophia Elaine, on December 30. They also have 3-year
old Chow Chow most appropriately called, "Sheppie."
His Contributions Continue
Jeff is a humble individual who has given back to the HC basketball program by recruiting
and speaking at the Huntington College Basketball Camps in the summer. While being introduced this past summer at a camp, Coach Platt announced that Jeff would be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
This was a shock to Jeff. "I was speechless for a couple minutes," he remembers. "But I had the biggest smile on my face the whole time I was speaking to those kids."
Hall of Fame Induction
Jeff feels honored to have received this award and credits others for his success. "It is really incredible
to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The individuals that make up that list are very special," he said.
Jeff Shepherd, Keith Spahr and Russ Isaacs
2004 Hall of Fame Inductees
"It's a tribute to Coach Platt, Coach Glancy, and all my teammates from 1995-1999. Basketball is the ultimate in team sports, so when you are awarded
individually, it's really a reflection on your coaches and teammates."
Coach Platt's Great Recruits
Jeff, along with Matt Eberly, Ryan Ripke, and Brodie Garber (one year later) made up what might be
Coach Platt's best set of recruits. The Foresters had a 76-48 record during Jeff's career, but only Brodie Garber got to Branson. Regardless, these four set expectations for the classes to come.
"I like to think that Garber, Eberly, Ripke, and myself really helped pave the way for the HC basketball program. We were coach Platt's first recruiting class, and we had a hand in all of the players that came from
1996-2003," states Shepherd.
Jeff is an incredible individual who wants the best for Coach Platt and the HC basketball team. He's been a role model for many, myself included, over the years. Any player who puts on a Forester uniform
should hear
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the advice he gives: "Cherish every day you are an HC basketball player. Whether in
practice, or a game, always present yourself with class and humility. We've been given a gift to play this great game at this great College; we should be thankful and appreciative to the players and coaches that came
before us, played with us, and play after us."
-- by Ryan Thwaits
HC Radio Broadcasters
These Exuberant Fans Are Now Calling the Shots
Radio Station 105.5 FM (The Fuse)
You may have heard Seth Kimmel and Jay Tropf on the Huntington College radio station, 105.5 FM
(The Fuse). They are two of the five students involved in calling the Foresters' basketball games this season.
Jay Tropf, Senior Recreation Major
Tropf is in his third year of broadcasting, but in the midst of his first season at the microphone of the
men's games. He said he ventured into broadcasting because he needed the money and the job appealed to him. "I like giving people who aren't at the games something to listen to," he said.
As a student, Tropf has appreciated being both a fan and a broadcaster. He enjoys the analytical elements of broadcasting games on the air, but he
would rather be in the crowd during the men's conference games. "I like being in the student section going crazy and supporting our friends on the team," he said.
Seth Kimmel, Junior Business Major
Kimmel first started out as a broadcaster for his high school basketball team. Since then, he's
spent two years on The Fuse, mostly covering women's basketball until this season. He noted that the fun he had at the games with Tropf has provided fodder for some favorite moments behind the microphone.
"We always had nicknames for each other (as fans) and then we'd call each other by those names on the air," Kimmel said. Like Tropf, Kimmel
enjoys both the spectator and broadcaster roles. While broadcasting gives him a chance to use his communication skills, the spectator role allows him to be with friends and act a bit crazy. "In one situation,
I have to be a mature young adult," he said. "In the other, I can be a wild kid. I'm still deciding which one I truly am."
For a schedule of
HC game broadcasts, or a webcast at game time, visit the sports schedule page of HC radio.
-- by Matt Hawkins
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