Arts &Life

Jewish Stars

U-M walk-on enjoys
his role on the scout team.

MIKE ROSENBAUM
Special to the jezvish News

Ann Arbor

U

niversity of Michigan senior wide receiv-
er Brian Lafer hasn't seen much action
on Saturdays at U-M. But the work he
does during practice each Monday
through Friday helps prepare the Wolverines' defense
to perform its job on game day.
A former All-County receiver/defensive back at
North Farmington, Lafer joined the Wolverines as a
walk-on (non-scholarship) athlete. He has seen brief
action in five U-M games, including the first two
games of this season.
He first stepped on the field against Minnesota in
2001. "It was one of the best feelings I ever had in
my entire life," Lafer recalls. "I would say the stadi-
um was about two-thirds full. I wasn't very nervous
when I went out there because I was pretty prepared.
I just tried to enjoy the moment.
"It was only one play, a blocking play, but it was
unbelievable to play in the biggest college stadium in
the country, in front of all those people. I could have
never imagined anything like that."
But Lafer's chief role for the Wolverines is on the
scout team. They study film of Michigan's next
opponent, then imitate the opponent's plays during
practice.
Lafer finds his unsung role fulfilling. "It's really
great to be a part of something that's bigger than
yourself, like to win a championship at Michigan,"
he says. "So whatever I can do to contribute to that,
I appreciate every opportunity I get, even on the
),
scout team.
Understandably, Lafer's career highlights feature
"every chance I get to play on the field, the [five]
games so far, that would have to be the greatest
moments. For me, just being with all the guys ...
there's about 120 of us on the team and a lot of us are
from different backgrounds, like myself being Jewish,
and there's a lot of kids from all over the country.
And you get to hang out with all these people who I
never would've met if I wasn't on this team.
"So just being a part of this great group of guys is
a wonderful experience."
Because he didn't see the field in his freshman year,
Lafer could play next year, but he hasn't decided if he
will return. He is scheduled to graduate with a busi-
ness degree next spring.

9/19
2003

108

Lafer is one of three Jewish players at U-M.
Linebacker Jeremy Read is a fellow walk-on from
San Diego, while freshman tight end Adam Kraus is
a highly recruited scholarship athlete from New
Orleans. Kraus is red-shirting this season, but could
compete for playing time next year.
Berkley graduate Jack Gitler is off to a good start
as a starting defensive end at Western Michigan. The
6-feet-2, 260-pound junior was third on the team
with 16 tackles (nine unassisted) after two games. He
was second on the team with four tackles for loss and
had 1.5 sacks.

Former Seaholm defensive tackle Matt Adler is a
freshman linebacker at Oberlin College, a Division
III school in Ohio.
The West Bloomfield High School football team
features at least two Jewish starters: senior tight
end/defensive end Mike Levine and senior tackle
Josh Kaplan. Also competing for playing time are
senior center/safety Jeff Herman, junior
linebacker/offensive lineman Sam Rosenbaum, sen-
ior running back/cornerback Zach Stuart and junior
two-way lineman Mike Burda.
Junior Nathan Teital will start as Birmingham