Football
Football
The Family Business - Shoemaker Brothers
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
by Aaron Swenson, Athletic Media Relations
Graduate Assistant
It’s hard to see any physical resemblances in the Shoemaker brothers from Graham, Washington, but that’s about where the differences end.
The oldest Shoemaker brother Ian calls the shots and mentors the quarterbacks at St. Cloud State; the middle brother Carlin guides and orchestrates the wide receivers; the youngest Eli, takes orders from both as a red-shirt freshman receiver.
“He gets treated a littler harsher than the guys in our group, but it’s out of love. Its to push him to be better,” Ian said of his daily interaction on the field with Eli.
Eli understands and embraces the harassment.
“It comes with the territory. I knew coming in that they were going to be my best and worst critics,” Eli said. “It is only going to help me.”
While the Shoemaker brothers remain intertwined in three different aspects of the Husky offense this season, their journey to St. Cloud State and ultimate goals are far from different.
Their Journey to SCSU
Ian is the eldest of a four-brother family and the current quarterback’s coach and co-offensive coordinator at St. Cloud State. He joined the coaching staff in July of 2008 after working in a similar role at Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.
Before that he worked with current SCSU co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Doug Patterson at Minot State University.
After the Huskies offense lost a graduate assistant before the start of the season in 2008, Carlin was able to fill the void and join the staff at SCSU after originally working in the same offense at Kenyon College with his older brother.
He took the job less than two months later after Ian was hired, as an extension of his older brothers offense, working as a wide receivers coach, while taking on graduate school.
Ian first worked with Carlin as the offensive coordinator at Kenyon College as Carlin played running back for the Lords in Ohio.
The youngest and biggest of the three brothers would also follow. Eli moved out to Ohio where his brothers were bonding on and off the football field and begin living with both brothers during his ninth grade year in high school.
It would not be the last time they shared living quarters.
Eli joined his brothers some three years later, after signing onto the Husky squad after a standout high school career as a wide receiver. He comes to St. Cloud State with aspirations to be a high school teacher and football coach.
“We evaluated him like everyone else. But we are probably the hardest on him,” Ian said of recruiting Eli to play at St. Cloud State.
For the second time, the three brothers shared a place together as a shorter extension of the family this summer in St. Cloud.
“It was the three of us in an apartment all summer. Now we see each other less with Eli in the dorms, but like tonight we will get together for a family dinner and we try to do it every week,” Ian said.
While the three remain close, they also have another brother who works in the same environment, but is doing it some 1,600 miles west.
Javid, the second oldest brother, played college football for Eastern Washington University and is also involved with football as the head varsity high school coach near home in Washington.
He is also the best Shoemaker athlete according to all three brothers.
Coming Together
The Shoemaker brothers are spread apart in age by some 14 years and were unable to really watch each other’s academic and athletic careers blossom, but they all seem to hold onto the same beliefs and appear to be headed in parallel directions with their careers.
Since the three were not able to always support one another, it was huge for all three to come together once again at St. Cloud State.
“There was a lot of separation. I was gone at college and working, so it was hard to see what Eli was doing. It has been very positive to reconnect with these guys. We didn’t have the time growing up, so it has been good for me,” Ian said.
Carlin has always been appreciative of having been connected with Ian more so than his younger brother.
“He has greatly impacted where I am today. Playing for him, he molded me into what I am now as a coach and a person. I am totally fortunate for that,” Carlin said.
While the older brothers were unable to watch their brother play in high school and help him on and off the field on a daily basis, Eli still had the drive to reunite with Ian.
“I always wanted to play for him. I grew up watching him play and moved out to live with him in 9th grade and that all greatly impacted me to come here,” Eli said.
The Ultimate Goal Remains
While all three remain close and hold on to the same ultimate goal on the field, they do have other objectives while playing and working with football at St. Cloud State.
“Obviously our goal is to win championships and compete at the national level. I think we have the opportunity and talent to do that here. But within all that, I just hope we are able to continue to take care of each other and be there for one another,” Ian said.
Carlin continues to learn and improve on his skills as a coach, but a championship is also always in the back of his mind.
“Personally, my goal is to show I can do the job. Show coach Underwood and the staff that I am capable. At the same time, while I am here, I would like to be a part of a conference championship and of course a national championship,” Carlin said.
Having just entered the college football world, Eli remains soft spoken, but his goals while at St. Cloud State speak loudly about his character.
“I also would obviously like to win a championship. In order to do that, I need to work hard and continue to get better each day, while helping my team get better,” Eli said.
While each brother has his own personal goals, at the end of the day, there are two things that remain important to the Shoemaker brothers.
“Obviously, its pretty inherent in what we do. Football and family,” Ian said.
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