Talk about a team player.
This time of year you always see the heartwarming videos of walk-on athletes finding out that they’re being given a scholarship for the upcoming season.
But when Zack Conti was told that he was finally being given a scholarship after joining the Eastern Michigan University football team in 2019 as a walk-on, there was one person in particular that he was especially thankful for: Team captain and fellow offensive lineman Brian Dooley.
It turns out, Dooley was giving up his own scholarship so that the team would finally have a scholarship spot for Conti.
In a video addressing the team, Coach Chris Creighton revealed that not only has Conti worked his a** off for the football team during his college career, he went to some pretty incredible lengths to be able to afford to go to school:
“Zach Conti has had to pay his way to school for four years. And in the fall the guy was selling his plasma to be able to pay the bills.”
But Dooley felt that Conti deserved a scholarship – and told his coach that he was willing to give up his own to give it to Conti:
“Brian Dooley comes into my office and he said, ‘Coach, that guy has earned it. And I’ve talked this over with my family and the whole bit. And if there’s a way to make this happen, I am willing to give up my scholarship and to give it to Zack Conti.’
I’ve never heard, I’ve never seen, anything like that ever before.”
In an emotional moment for everybody in the room, Dooley then presented Conti with his first-ever scholarship as the two shared a hug and their teammates celebrated.
According to Dooley, he didn’t want to see Conti have to walk away from football because he couldn’t afford to pay for school:
“I did it because I’ve seen Conti grow over the years. Seeing him walk away from something that he loves did not sit well with me.
He works hard and gets extra work with me all the time. In my eyes he earned it 100%, giving up my scholarship so he can stay and play means everything.
I‘m proud of what he has become and cannot wait to see what he does on the field.”
