Dan Rasor knew the golf club in his hand had the right grip and feel, but never had his heart. The problem was, while he was good at the game of golf, his heart was on the football field.
Dan grew up around the game of football, as his twin brother Mike was a standout for Austintown Fitch on the offensive line. Dan knew he could never compete on the football field, but that didn't stop him from becoming part of the team.
"I was never a good athlete," Dan said. "Mike was more of the athlete of the family. I knew I loved football a lot. My dad was a coach. I've seen coaching. I approached coach (Phil) Annarella to help him out. I helped him out my senior year."
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Special to Tribune Chronicle
Brothers Mike, left, and Dan Rasor both attend Thiel College and have found their way together on the football field.
That was the first step of what could become a career for Dan. Both brothers had committed to going to Thiel College after graduating from Fitch in 2009 - Dan to play golf and Mike to play football. But like in high school, Dan made it his mission to end up on the sidelines.
"I really liked working for him (Annarella) and I knew it what was something I wanted to do as a career," Dan said. "I talked to the Thiel guy and I hoped they'd hire me. I started out there as just film. I helped with their film for three semesters. At that point, they let me come on to be a student coach and I've done that ever since."
Mike, who was a co-captain for the Tomcats this past season, said his twin brother is a tireless worker.
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"He doesn't have a lot of free time," Mike said. "He does a great job. Obviously his school comes first, but he put in a lot of time of the football team - that's for sure."
For Dan, being a part of the staff is a passion.
"I love the game of football and I like to teach," he said. "I like the teach kids the game of football. I like to see the guys grow, as far as high school players. I see a lot of guys come in here who didn't have a lot training as far as weight room or complex offense. I like to be able to teach them that and see them progress as a player. A lot of guys from this level does not go on, but we've had a few go on to arena league. It's really cool to see that. I like doing it for throse guys. I don't do it for fame. I don't do it for money. I do it to see those guys progress and succeed at the game."
Even though the team was 3-7, there was improvement in Greenville, Pa. Mike, who will graduate this spring and then join the a branch of the military, said he's happy he went to Thiel.
"I have a lot of great friends up there," Mike said. "We didn't have as much success as I wanted to on the football field. My class got it going. I think they're going to be good the next couple of years.
"I made the right decision to go to Thiel. I had a blast up there playing football."
Dan, who will graduate this coming summer, will either be a part-time or full-time coach for the Tomcats. His ultimate goal is reaching the NCAA Division I or NFL level.
"Four years ago, if you told me I was going to be a full-time coach after I would've left there, I wouldn't have believed it," Dansaid. "It's a dream come true for me with my career taking off like this."
