Joe Eppele changed schools and moved from Squamish to Vancouver to be closer to his hammer and shot put coach, not for football.
But the pigskin may replace the hammer as the Squamish product's meal ticket.
The Vancouver College student was just recruited as an offensive tackle by the Washington State Cougars and given a full scholarship to the university.
"I was just shocked at first really," said the 6'7", 290-pound athlete. "I wasn't expecting anything of that magnitude for sure.
"I'm hoping to go down to Washington State and be really open minded and take in everything while I'm there."
Eppele was noticed while at a training camp with his irish Vancouver College teammates. His coach had contacted Washington State, which invited him to a football camp at the university.
The university then contacted him about being recruited.
"Joe's football is deep in the future, three or four years from now," said Todd Bernett, Vancouver College head coach. He has only just begun to get a clutch on his athletic talent, strength and football savvy. As he continues to develop he will go far as the game will allow him to. He's hungry to learn, a great student, and a teammate who understands sacrifices and team first."
However, it is the knowledge of team first that made it difficult for Eppele to leave Squamish and his teammates here to attend Vancouver College. He had joined the Howe Sound Sounders, and convinced several other players to join as well.
"I felt like I was letting the guys down," he said. "It was very difficult actually."
But picking between his throwing sports and football is a little easier. "They are both really different," Eppele said. "If I had to pick one I'd pick football because it is a team sport and it's more interesting in that way."
Eppele was ranked the number one hammer thrower in British Columbia in 2004, and the fourth in hammer at the junior nationals in Canada. He had a gold medal in hammer and shot put at the 2004 小蓝视频 Summer Games.
And if some point down the road football doesn't hold the same appeal, his education from the university will help him out.
"It will give me a jump start in life. If football doesn't work out for me I'll have something to fall back on. It's always good to have a second plan," said Eppele, who has an interest in the sciences, in particular sports medicine.
But football in itself has taught Eppele some lessons.
"It teaches you a lot of life skills," he said.
