 (Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: |
When Adam Brunner decided to not go out for the Princeton High football team as a freshman in 2002, his father didn't try to get him to change his mind.
But Brunner had a feeling that his dad, former NFL quarterback Scott Brunner, would love to see him give the game a go.
So when Brunner came out for the PHS squad before his junior season, he got a positive reaction from his father.
"My father has never pushed me to football," said Brunner. "When I didn't go out freshman year he said nothing. When I told him I was going out junior year, his face lit up."
Brunner lit up a lot of faces, becoming a star at offensive tackle as his solid blocking helped PHS go 6-4 this past fall.
The 6'5 220-pound Brunner's rapid emergence has landed him a spot on the east team for the 10th annual Sunshine Classic All-Star Game, which will be played this Thursday night at The College of New Jersey.
In reflecting on his senior season, Brunner said that his partnership with Joe Fisher on the left side of the PHS line helped him establish a comfort level.
"Playing left tackle on offense was pretty new to me," explained Brunner. "I really clicked with my left guard Joe Fisher. We got the communications down on line calls. Good things started happening."
The bond developed between Brunner and Fisher exemplified the all-for one and one-for-all spirit that infused the Little Tigers last fall.
"It wasn't just one player, it was the whole team," asserted Brunner. "As you win or lose you do it together; you become a whole entity. Going through preseason camp is tough but everybody goes through the same hardship. It builds team unity."
The influence of PHS head coach Steve Everette also brought the squad closer. "In the four years that Coach Everett has been with the program it has gotten better and better," said Brunner. "His life is football during the season; he loves the game. He sets the tone."
Brunner's love of the game has been deepened by sharing the experience with his father. "He knows what it means to play the game," said Brunner, referring to his father, who played five seasons in the NFL including stints with the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
"He would give me tips on the way home after games; telling me little things like staying low and firing off the ball. He supported the whole program; he was a member of the booster club and worked the chains at some of the games."
The younger Brunner will be continuing his football career this fall at The College of New Jersey. "My first goal was to get a good education but if football would help me get in a school, I would play," explained Brunner, a star discus thrower at PHS who hopes to also walk on to the TCNJ track team.
"I'm not going to school just to play football. Eric Hamilton the TCNJ coach got in touch with my dad and told him they were interested in me. We started e-mailing each other and it went from there."
For Brunner, playing at the TCNJ stadium this Thursday night should be the first of many big days on that field.
"It was a big surprise for me to be picked for the game; there are so many great linemen in the area," said Brunner. "It's a great honor, particularly after playing just two years."
While his football career may be in its early stages, Brunner has already honored his family name.
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