DAVID STLUKA
J
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ared Abbrederis has never put much stock
in chasing or collecting individual awards, not
even the more unique ones with the catchy
name-identification and the resonance of a "Herbie
for Abby."
OK, so maybe in this case being the 2013 recipient of the "Backyard Football Herbie" speaks more
to who he is than any personal achievements by the
Wisconsin wide receiver.
First this disclaimer from Abbrederis:
"Awards really don't do a whole lot for me because I'm a big team player," he said. "Team success
is more important than any individual awards or accomplishments."
Some examples:
At Wautoma High School, Abbrederis was an allstate quarterback and the offensive player of the
year in the conference, but winning the WIAA Division 4 state title meant more to him as a senior.
Abbrederis rushed for one score and passed for
another in leading Wautoma to a 20-0 win over Wal//
VARSITY September 5, 2013
worth Big Foot, whose marquee player was all-state
lineman Travis Frederick.
Frederick was headed to Wisconsin on a football
scholarship. Abbrederis was headed to Madison,
too, only as a preferred walk-on in track.
The following spring, Abbrederis set two Division 2 state records in winning the 110 high hurdles
and the 300 intermediate hurdles, but it still meant
more to him that Wautoma won the team crown.
This is not to say that Abbrederis doesn't strive to
attain individual goals.
Before the start of the track season, Abbrederis'
dad, Scott, put the state records for the 110 and 300
hurdles on a sheet of paper and Jared pinned it on a
wall and looked at it every day.
At the state meet, Abbrederis went out and accounted for 30 of Wautoma's 35 first-place points,
while breaking a record in the 110 hurdles that had
stood for 28 years.
Individual goals are one thing, individual awards…
"I'm all about the team," Abbrederis repeated.
