Athlete Spotlight
|
Hometown
Redmond, Wash. |
High
School
Redmond |
Year
Senior |
Major
Business Accounting |
Jeff Danforth is one of four
senior pitchers on this year's Pacific Lutheran baseball team.
As one of only two players that have been with the program for
his entire four-year career, Jeff has seen the transition of the
PLU baseball program from a middle-of-the-pack conference finisher
to a yearly conference contender.
Describe
your family. How have they helped you in your athletic career?
My parents, sister and extended
family have always supported me through the ups and downs of my
athletic career. I truly would not be where I am at without their
support through the years. My dad has been really instrumental
and inspirational in the success of my ability to pitch. I can’t
thank him enough for all the thousands of baseballs he has caught
for me and the many bruises he has endured! He has always been
the voice of calm, even-keeled assessment and positive encouragement.
Where other teammates were uncertain about getting into their
parent’s car after a loss, I found love and perspective.
My mom has also been there for me, too. This entails driving me
to practices all over the place, cheering me on at almost every
game I have pitched in and praying for my safety and success,
as well as my teammates. My sister has always been the model of
a loving sister, traveling many hours on the road to tournaments,
punctuating them with her humor and always supporting my decisions.
I have an extended baseball-loving family, a cousin who played
for the Lutes, an uncle who was a catcher for the Huskies and
his son who will pitch for the Huskies next year.
Describe any hardships or
extenuation circumstances that you have faced to get to where
you are today.
Throughout my baseball career,
because of my quiet demeanor, I have had to surprise coaches.
I have had to prove that I do belong at the next level. One injury
set me back in baseball during September of my freshman year.
I broke my wrist in a pickup basketball game. I played through
the season with this fracture, but paid with the consequence of
getting surgery the following summer, putting myself on the DL
for six and a half months after the surgery. This demonstrated
to me that I would endure hardship, play with injury in order
to pitch in the game I love.
What factors led to your
decision to attend PLU?
When I was looking at colleges to possibly play at, I remember
having a very positive talk with Coach Loomis. He shared his vision
of the program he wanted to build. This was a very impressive,
lofty goal and I wanted to be a part of it. I am glad to be able
to say I was on the teams which brought PLU into the national
spotlight! The size of the PLU campus and the quality of their
science and business programs were factors, too. I can honestly
say attending PLU was the best decision I have ever made.
 |
| The 2008 seniors: Jeff Danforth,
Matt Keller, Brett Brunner and Jeremy Ellison |
What has been your favorite
class at PLU?
I‘d have to say my classes, taught
by Professor McNabb, but not necessarily because of the subject.
He made business very appealing to me, enough that I switched
majors. It is difficult to judge which class was my favorite...probably
Business 437 where we looked at real life, relevant situations.
Have you had any trouble
balancing athletics with academics?
Initially, balancing athletics and academics was definitely a
challenge, but it didn’t take too long to make an adjustment.
I view this balancing act as training ground for time management
difficulties in my future. No doubt, I will encounter this again
as I plan to lead a full life.
What are your plans after
college?
I am currently looking for an accounting
job in the Seattle/Bellevue area. I am also considering getting
my masters in business.
When your athletic career
is all said and done, what is it that you would want people to
say about you?
When I am done, I would like people
to say they enjoyed playing baseball with me. I would also like
to hear that I was a team player. As Matt Keller said, “I
hope to be remembered as someone who was an important part of
some successful Lutes baseball teams.”
Describe your hometown and
what you miss about it the most.
I grew up in Redmond, Wash., about 50 miles north. Since I have
been in college, I have realized how much I love that area. It
was a comfortable place to grow up. Athletics are a huge component
in the community (as well as other diverse extracurricular activities).
There is strong competition found in the high school athletic
programs, which helped produce quality athletes. It is within
striking distance of the ski areas and the entertainment that
Seattle offers. I miss all my close high school friends with whom
I hung out with so much during my younger years. I also miss having
my entire family close to me!
What's your favorite spot
on campus?
As I think you can guess, and almost
every baseball player would agree, my favorite spot on campus
is the baseball field. No matter how your life is going, you can
go out on the field and feel in your niche with your team.
What is your favorite restaurant
in Tacoma?
I really enjoy going to Mazatlan, Olive
Garden, and Farrelli’s.
What music is playing in
your ipod right now?
A little bit of everything. I last listened
to Jack Johnson’s new CD and before that, the Eagles new
CD. I have everything from rap to county to oldies. It totally
depends on what kind of mood I am in.
Read more about senior pitcher Matt
Keller
Read more about senior pitcher Brett
Brunner
