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Veteran Provides Fellow Athletes with Valuable Perspective

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Will Schulhof

Thursday, April 16, 2009
For some Emory & Henry students, Will Schulhof is a window to some of the world's realities.

At 23 years old, Will is a first-year student who recently served in the Marines, including two deployments to Iraq.

An E&H baseball player, he has won praise from fellow athletes and coaches for his character, his devotion to his team, and his service to his country, qualities that also earned him the honor of E&H Student Athlete of the Month.

Will joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2004 out of high school and served for four years. For most of that time, he was part of 1/2 Charlie Company.

During his first deployment, he was a part of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit which, in addition to Iraq, took him to several international locations including Italy, Kuwait, and Djibouti, Africa. The two deployments totalled approximately 14 months.

On occasion, E&H students and athletes have asked Will about his war experiences and learned through his perspective about the sacrifices that other young Americans are making on the other side of the planet. "A lot of students are very interested in my experiences, and I have no problem talking to them about it."

Will said it is a "good thing" that students are curious and that he can help provide some perspective on the war and the people who are fighting it. At the same time, he's careful not to force the conversations, allowing others to understand the conflict on their own terms.

These days, Will is one of many college students and one of several E&H athletes. He shares living quarters with his brother, Ben, an E&H soccer player. He has transitioned well to the world of academics and is engaged in his studies. "I feel that I'm doing much better in college than I would have had I enrolled right out of high school."

And he's definitely enjoying the camaraderie and experiences that occur as part of the baseball team. "When I was in Iraq, I aspired some day to play college ball and now, thank God, here I am."

Going from the battlefield to the ball field is in some ways an easy transition, he says. The bonds and the sense of teamwork are very similar. But the difference – and perhaps one of the best messages that Will's experience brings to his fellow student athletes – is that in the end "baseball is just a game, and we can treat it like that, and enjoy it."

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