10,000 Voltz

Brad Voltz is not your typical linebacker. At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, he may look the part, but Voltz is different. Having dedicated himself to his sport, he is a leader on a young team representing the strong tradition of Mount Vernon football. "He's very coachable and has a passion for the game," said Mount Vernon head coach Doug Peacock. "He does everything we ask of him and he does everything the right way, and you can't ask for much more than that." An All-Conference selection last year, as well as Hancock County Defensive Player of the Year, Voltz took on the role of slot receiver in the Marauder offense this season in attempt to add depth and athleticism to the receiving corps. Thus far, the try has been successful, as Voltz is tied for the team lead in receptions (10) and is second on the team in receiving yards (120) and yards per catch (12.0) and has scored a touchdown. Voltz embraced the additional responsibility, even having attended camp last spring to work with some Indianapolis Colts players on his offensive skills. Defense is still his bread and butter, and he knew going into the season that the energy he would burn up on offense might hinder his play on the other side of the ball. "I thought it might take a little bit away from me on defense, just because I'm out on the field all the time," Voltz said. "But sometimes you have to do what you have to do to win, and if (the team) needs me (in the slot), then I'll be there." As opposed to letting it affect his play at linebacker, though, Voltz has proven that both can be done effectively through hard work. Through the first three games of this year, Voltz is third on the team in tackles (27 total), first in tackles for a loss (three), and has recovered a fumble, one of four turnovers recorded by the Marauder defense. His work ethic has made him a premier player in the Hoosier Heritage Conference and has potentially opened doors for him to play football after high school. It is a work ethic that he learned from his parents, who are both deaf. His father is a diversity group leader for Eli Lilly, while his mother is a teacher at the Indiana Deaf School. With role models such as those, it is easy to see where Voltz gets his core beliefs. "They really taught me to work hard," Voltz said of his parents. "They made me understand that everything good is a product of hard work, especially education. They've always taught me to do my best in everything, with school coming first." The lessons instilled by his parents were not lost on him. Aside from being an important contributor to the varsity football and basketball programs at Mount Vernon, Voltz dedicates a lot of his leisure time to extra curricular activities. A member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Club and Secretary of the Student Council, Voltz certainly has an impressive resume. It is a less prestigious program called "Best Buddies" that Voltz has associated himself with that truly shows his character. Originally at the request of a teacher, Voltz lends his time to younger and disadvantaged students in the attempt to get them better acclimated to life in high school. Even just a few moments of effort on behalf of someone who is struggling with the changes that high school brings can make a world of difference. It is something that Voltz enjoys, as he understands well the challenges that being different can bring, but also the sameness in people regardless of how varied someone's upbringing was. "It's just something that I grew up with, so I never really had any problems (because of it)," said Voltz, speaking of his childhood in a deaf household. "I started doing baby signs before I could even talk, so I never thought about it too much. It's just the way things were." Voltz is a rare breed of student-athlete, one who has managed to find the balance between leading a football team at a storied program, homework, school clubs and the social demands that are so pressing on high school students. Of course, compared to the on-field competition that the Marauders face during conference play, juggling everything on his plate is a must in order to be prepared each Friday night. The HHC boasted two ranked teams in mid-September, Shelbyville and Delta, along with other solid teams such as Pendleton Heights and Greenfield-Central, and that is all before stepping onto the field for the sectional games. "We're always shooting for a sectional championship," Voltz said. "That's our main goal. We're young, but we're going to have to overcome that by treating each game as a learning experience. Since we're going to get into (the postseason) no matter what our record is, we just use each (regular season) game to get better." All differences aside, the one thing that unites all the players at Mount Vernon is the desire to win. With players like Voltz at the helm, the Marauders are a gritty, hard-nosed team. Not one, despite its youth, that anyone will want to run up against in the state playoffs. -