Football
Favorite athlete: Lebron James, not human
Favorite team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Favorite memory competing in sports: Scoring four touchdowns against Truman this season. It’ll be a lasting memory of my senior year.
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: Missing second base after a walk-off home run and getting called out.
Music on iPod: Hip-Hop/Rap, R&B/Soul
Future plans: Attend college and get a degree in engineering.
Words to live by: “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine
One goal before turning 30: Have a good plan for the future.
One thing people don’t know about me: I’m a talented artist.
By GORDON GLANTZ
He runs fast and thinks even faster.
Fast enough to know that you don’t miss a step when chasing down your dream.
Meet Christopher Welde, the Univest Featured Male Athlete of the Week.
Citing football as his “passion,” the Council Rock North senior gave up a spot on the varsity baseball team to run track – winter and spring, as sprinter who runs in several relays - and concentrate on gaining more of an edge with his speed.
The son of a collegiate football player – Joel Welde, who played for Dayton – he did his best to explain why football rose to the top of his athletic depth chart.
For the quintessential student-athlete, one who scored an 800 on the math portion of the SAT, it just all added up to a win-win with his core belief system.
“Honestly that’s a question that I’ve never really put much thought into,” he said. “I suppose the sport is just one that is a great balance of requiring you to be not only physically tough but also mentally. I pride myself in having a strong work ethic ethic, which is greatly important in football. You put in so many hours training and practicing, through the summer, weekends, and days off, for just 10 games. Despite the demanding aspect of the sport, it’s a very rewarding. After all of the work and effort you put into the offseason, it is representative throughout the season and games. Nonetheless, football is one of those sports that you really need a team to accomplish your goals. You have not only 11 guys on every play but also the entire football program from the players to the coaches working together to accomplish a common goal.”
Perfect Fit
With speed to burn, Welde (4.43 in the 40) is a perfect fit for the Council Rock North offense that spreads the field and works at a frenetic pace.
It is not for everyone but ideal for a smallish (5-7, 165 pounds) athlete with a big enough mind to wrap himself around the whole playbook in a system built around heavily recruited quarterback Brandon McIlwain.
“I just try to be a supportive player and help out my team,” he said. “I feel like I can help my team in many ways. Whether it’s running back or wide receiver, I know all the routes.
“We run in and out a lot of different personnel groups. I’m already accustomed to it. It’s an up-tempo offense. With my academics, I feel like I never get lost. And, it’s great for my speed.
The three-year letterman not only lines up at tailback and slot receiver on offense and various spots in the secondary on defense, but is an added threat on special teams as a kick returner.
“Chris is the unsung hero of the team this year,” said CR North coach Adam Collachi. “He has scored in each game this season, and in the Truman game, he scored three different ways, receiving, rushing and a kickoff return. “
Welde rarely comes off the field, which is fine by him. It is a grind, but he has long since been up to the challenge.
“I just want to help the team get the win and move on to the next win,” he said. “We are well-conditioned, which we have to be, playing a no-huddle offense. Other teams talk about preparing to play all four quarters. We believe in the fifth quarter.
“It involves a lot of hard work in the offseason, but also some very intense practices. We sprint through all our drills. We need to be on top of our game and stay in shape.”
Among the ‘Gubers’
Welde’s versatility, as well as his leadership skills as a role model, has made him a favorite of Collachi and his staff.
When Welde was a freshman, he and his fellow classmates were affectionately known as “Gubers” by the coaches.
“Ever since Chris was a freshman, we knew we had a special player,” said Collachi. “We did not have a ninth grade team that season, so Chris and the rest of his classmates had to practice with the varsity and play in JV games. They, along with Chris, took their lumps, but Chris just kept his head down and worked hard.
“He is such a coachable kid who just wants what is best for the team. His growth as a player parallels to the growth and success of the CR North program over the past four seasons. Chris and the rest of the Class of 2015 have a very special place amongst our coaching staff. To see them grow and take on the responsibilities of the program is wonderful to see.”
And because there was no freshman team that season – a benefit currently enjoyed by his younger brother, Michael – they all took their lumps together playing junior varsity and suiting up for the varsity games.
“We were the first class not to have a freshman team,” said Welde. “We were kind of like the guinea pig squad.”
While some players with larger egos than that of Welde would want a more exciting label than “coachable,” he willingly wears it like a badge of honor.
“It goes back to just trying to help my team,” he said, adding that Collachi has “always been there” for him. “I know how hard you need to work. I try to listen to everything. I’m fast, but there are always ways to get faster. There are always ways to improve. That’s why a coach is there.”
Leading the Way
Outside of football and winter and spring track, Welde is involved in as many school activities as time allows.
The list includes the National Honor Society, the Science National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
In the locker room, and on the field, the one-time “Guber” – who claims drawing as a “hidden talent” and being on the lookout for new bands in the music world as an outlet -- is helping to set a template for those to follow.
“I’ve been in the program for four years, coming back to that freshman year,” he said. “I feel that responsibility of finishing out strong.
“I describe myself as a leader. It’s not so much taking charge, but being more of a role model about what you need to do in order to be a team player.
“That part of me has most definitely come out more this year.”
Bright Future
Welde has not been on the recruiting radar as much as he should be for a variety of reasons, one being a sophomore year beset by nagging injuries (hand, ankle) that left him playing a “secondary role on the varsity.”
As a junior, though healthy, the team had an embarrassment of riches at the skill positions. He got the ball, but was part of an ensemble cast.
“I had no injuries, but we had a lot of playmakers last year,” he said. “I just tried to help the team any way I could.
“This year came, and it opened more responsibilities. I’ve tried to step it up.”
Despite his blazing speed and a bench press of 265 pounds, Welde’s size is likely to make big-time schools shy away from recruiting him.
Conversely, his academics, a GPA a notch below 4.2, have opened other doors that are not there for others.
“I want to play football in college,” he explained. “I want it to be at a high academic school, but also at the highest level I can.”
Welde is well aware that his stature is the likely “first reaction” for those who still dare to not take him seriously.
He has them right where he wants them, and with a chip on his shoulder pad.
“I use my speed and hard work to make up for it,” he said. “Every time I play, I feel like I am out to prove myself – not only to opposing teams, but also colleges.”
The aspiring engineer mentioned Lehigh, along with Yale and Johns Hopkins, but was quick to add that all options remain on the table.
“I’m trying to just see where it lands, just see where I am when the season ends,” he added, explaining that while he is a “procrastinator,” his father has always been there to keep him moving forward toward his desired destination.
“I have to juggle a lot, and it’s easy to get lost,” he said. “He has always pushed me in the right direction.”
He credits older sister, Brittney, and mother Michelle, for doing the same.
But, in the end, he knows he has to do it himself – on and off the field.
“Making myself stand out amongst so many great athletes has pushed me to get better,” he said. “In terms of time management, and being a procrastinator, I want the best for myself and my future.”
