A question and answer with Chad Bobbit

Palatine's Male Athlete of the Year reminisces on his high school years and talks about his future.

Published By John Juettner on 6/18/2010

Chad Bobbit, left, accepts his Male Athlete of the Year award from Palatine athletic director Jerry Dobbs.
Photo By: Cassie Rogala
Question and Answer conducted by Alex Mayster
      OnTheBallmag.com recently had the chance to catch up with Palatine’s Male Athlete of the Year, Chad Bobbit. The senior was a three-sport athlete at Palatine, collecting nine varsity letters along the way. Bobbit had a strong senior year, playing both defensive end (the MSL West Defensive Player of the Year) and fullback on the football team, serving as a forward on the basketball team and throwing shot put on for the track and field squad. OnTheBallmag.com was able to ask Bobbit some questions about his past, present and future:
      OTB: So when did you first start getting into sports?
      CB: In first grade I played baseball. For certain ages our parents let us start playing certain sports. Baseball we could start a little earlier, basketball we could start a little later, for football we had to wait until junior high. We always wanted to play sports we just had to wait for the right age to start playing.
      OTB: For someone that loves sports so much, I’m sure it wasn’t a tough choice to get involved in high school athletics. What is it like being an athlete at Palatine High School?
      CB: It’s just awesome. A lot of the kids are really close. A lot of times in school you don’t get the support for each others sports, by in my senior class everybody supports everybody. All the football players go to the soccer games, all the soccer players go to the football games. … The atmosphere of everybody cheering for one another is really cool.
      OTB: All those cheering fans had the chance to cheer for not just you, but two of your brothers (Cody and Jesse) as well. What was it like to be able to play with them?
      CB: It was really special for me personally because I got to play football with every single one of my brothers. As a freshman my older brother, JT, was a senior so I got to play with him for a year. And then this year, Cody is a junior he’s are quarterback, and my little brother Jesse is a freshman who is up on varsity playing safety. … My freshman year my dad was still coaching football so I played for my dad.
      OTB: Playing football for your dad, what was that like?
      CB: It’s interesting. There’s no playing favorites, the other way around maybe.
      OTB: Sticking with the family, your brother Cody had a pretty great season last year at quarterback. How cool is that to see?
      CB: He’s probably a better receiver, but since our all-state quarterback left last year he played quarterback and he had an unbelievable year. I know his completion percentage was way up there.
      OTB: Back to the athlete of the year. Looking back on your career, what did you gain from playing sports?
      CB: I just think it taught you how to work. When you’re playing three sports it’s all summer long it’s every part of the year. It just really teaches you responsibility and how to work hard. It teaches you how to work with people, how to work with other people and it creates bonds.
      OTB: Any favorite memories from you playing career?
      CB: (In track) At the sectional this year I threw my best throw by about a foot to qualify for state at the sectional. That was really special, there was just a lot of people around, it was really special. My best throw ever was a foot or a foot and a half shorter than that throw. … (In football) The goal line stand against Fremd on Homecoming last year, I think it was a three-play goal line stand. My coach gave me a head butt after not even wearing a helmet.
      OTB: So what’s next for you?
      CB: I’m going to Illinois to be a special education teacher.
      OTB: Ever think about going somewhere smaller to keep playing sports?
      CB: I did. I kind of decided that I wanted to take a little bit of a break. My entire life has been sports, and I love sports, but I just thought I’d try something else. One of my plans for being a teacher, I really want to come back and coach. At senior breakfast they had senior superlatives … I was most likely to come back and work at PHS.
      OTB: So let’s say you graduate college, and there is an open teaching and coaching position at Fremd. What do you do?
      CB: That would be a little tough. I like a lot of the guys over there its just the name…Fremd.
      OTB would like to thank Chad Bobbit for taking the time to meet with us and wish him the best in his future endeavors.