The Daily OrangeRecruit brings strong faith to SU
By Joe Wieder
Posted: 4/6/05, 12:23 AM EST Section: Sports
The game was over. Morgantown High School in West Virginia had just won the 2004 AAA state football title. The players doused their coaches with water, took a team photograph, received trophies and prayed as a team.
After the championship team prayed and a few players were interviewed, two people remained on the field in prayer - Morgantown's three-time first-team all-state place kicker and punter Patrick Shadle and the team pastor, the Rev. Kevin Cain.
Before each game during the entire 2004 season, the team prayed. And afterward Cain and Shadle prayed together. Cain always led.
But, that would change.
After the state title game, Shadle led the prayer for the first time.
Shadle, who holds the West Virginia record for points kicking and will play football at Syracuse next season, had a unique tradition with Cain.
Shadle approached Cain prior to the start of the state championship game against Martinsburg. He told Cain that after Morgantown wins the state championship that he wants to tell him something. When the game ended, Shadle asked Cain to walk with him to the end-zone and pray one last time. They knelt down on the field, and as Cain began to pray, Shadle asked to lead.
"I wanted to give him back a little something in appreciation for him helping me become a better person," Shadle said.
Morgantown's head coach John Bowers hired Cain, his brother-in-law, in 2003. Before Cain's hiring, Morgantown had no team pastor.
Cain helped establish the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Morgantown and many of the team members, especially Shadle, started taking an active role. Throughout the season, the groups, which consist of mostly football players, met each Thursday evening at Cain's house for dinner and Bible study. When the football team is out of season, the group meets every other week.
The group also conducted hospital visits to injured football players and the members helped raise money for underprivileged children during Christmas time.
After the championship team prayed and a few players were interviewed, two people remained on the field in prayer - Morgantown's three-time first-team all-state place kicker and punter Patrick Shadle and the team pastor, the Rev. Kevin Cain.
Before each game during the entire 2004 season, the team prayed. And afterward Cain and Shadle prayed together. Cain always led.
But, that would change.
After the state title game, Shadle led the prayer for the first time.
Shadle, who holds the West Virginia record for points kicking and will play football at Syracuse next season, had a unique tradition with Cain.
Shadle approached Cain prior to the start of the state championship game against Martinsburg. He told Cain that after Morgantown wins the state championship that he wants to tell him something. When the game ended, Shadle asked Cain to walk with him to the end-zone and pray one last time. They knelt down on the field, and as Cain began to pray, Shadle asked to lead.
"I wanted to give him back a little something in appreciation for him helping me become a better person," Shadle said.
Morgantown's head coach John Bowers hired Cain, his brother-in-law, in 2003. Before Cain's hiring, Morgantown had no team pastor.
Cain helped establish the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Morgantown and many of the team members, especially Shadle, started taking an active role. Throughout the season, the groups, which consist of mostly football players, met each Thursday evening at Cain's house for dinner and Bible study. When the football team is out of season, the group meets every other week.
The group also conducted hospital visits to injured football players and the members helped raise money for underprivileged children during Christmas time.
