Central Michigan University Athletics
Savich Continues Family Tradition
9/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 24, 2001
by Caleb Buhs
Sports Information Student Assistant
For many players involved in college football, their families are drawn to sports because of their relatives' involvement. But, in Paul Savich's case, he was drawn to football because of his family.
Some may say Paul "inherited" the Central Michigan kicking job from his uncle, Rade Savich, who was arguably the best kicker in CMU history. In reality, his entire family played a large role.
While the main reason Paul is CMU's starting place-kicker is due to the help and guidance of his uncle, his two brothers, Dan (a student at University of Detroit Mercy) and Steve (a senior at St. Clair Shores Lakeview) are why he got into football.
"My two brothers are the reason that I am an athlete today," explained Paul. "Playing against my brothers in the backyard in various sports taught me to compete and become a better athlete."
Paul's older brother, Steve, was the driving force behind him earning four varsity letters in soccer at St. Clair Shores Lakeview High along with earning first team all-state honors in his senior year.
"I always wanted to play on the same team as my brother who was three years older than me," Paul said.
Unfortunately, that dream had to be put on hold. Although he made the varsity soccer squad during his freshman year of high school, which put him on the same team as his brother, he suffered a year-ending injury midway through the first game of the season.
Many people would have given up on their dream but Paul just readjusted his goals in order to make it come true.
"My goal was to earn a soccer scholarship to the University of Detroit Mercy where my brother was playing," said Paul.
During his junior year of high school it had become apparent that Paul wasn't going to receive that scholarship so his Uncle Rade presented him with another option that changed his sporting life forever.
"I didn't really want to play football but Uncle Rade said that I still may be able to earn a scholarship as a kicker," Paul said. "He also explained that there is a better opportunity to continue playing football after college than there would be in soccer."
Paul had played football during his sophomore year in high school but with the instruction of his uncle decided to take it more seriously during his junior year.
Since Paul went to a smaller school that didn't have a high profile football team, there were still no recruiting letters pouring in. In the summer before his senior year, uncle Rade brought Paul to his old stomping grounds at CMU.
"My uncle brought me to a Central Michigan football camp where I came in and showed what I could do," Paul explained. "I could tell right away that a CMU scholarship came down to me and another kicker, and I guess I did a little better."
For Paul to take a scholarship to CMU he had to give up his dream of playing on the same team with his brother at Detroit Mercy.
"It was a new thing for me to accept that I would be playing football, but I looked at it as a new challenge," Paul said.
The problem that Paul would be facing as a Chippewa was trying to kick his way out of the shadow of his much celebrated uncle.
Rade (1976-79) is still CMU's second-leading all-time scorer with 274 points, including a second-best 49 field goals.
"I didn't feel that I had to fill his shoes," said Paul. "I didn't feel any pressure to do what he had accomplished because he set records that will probably never be broken."
To help ease Paul into what could be a tough situation was the fact that his family was 100 percent behind him. His parents have never missed a home game and have made numerous road trips. He keeps in constant contact with both his brothers throughout the season. Even his two grandmothers and his great-grandmother attend many of the games, although Paul said, "I don't think they know what is going on most of the time, they just cheer when I come on the field."
So, throughout Paul's career in sports, his family has been the guiding force behind the kicker and will continue to drive him throughout his life whether it continues in professional football or a job as a mechanical engineer upon his graduation in the spring of 2003.
