Most collegiate athletes have a sharp focus on athletics after high school, setting themselves up with a major that allows them to dedicate time to the sport they love.

Meanwhile, Sheridan plans to focus on not one but two sports, along with pursuing his dreams of becoming a pre-medical student at Adrian College.

With an eventual goal of becoming a surgeon, Sheridan’s time as a Bulldog will be essential in determining the next steps in his life.

Although the choice to join Adrian wasn’t easy for Sheridan, the opportunity to indulge in hurdles for track and field while simultaneously playing tight end for the football team seemed impossible to pass up.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Joe Sheridan poses with friends and family during his signing on Wednesday to continue his athletic and academic careers after high school graduation at Adrian College. The Wildcat will be a part of the football and track and field teams while also planning to be in the pre-medical program.

“I went into the recruiting process looking for smaller schools, and I ended up finding Adrian,” Sheridan said. “They initially recruited me for track, but I also decided to join the football team. My visits to the campus made a great impression, and I just really liked everything about it.”

Finding a home as a Bulldog and taking a massive step up in athletics and academics will be substantial changes, but Sheridan is ready for the challenges.

Track and field times will translate quite easily because you’re running against a clock, but after a season-ending football injury, Sheridan will have to bounce back against even tougher competition.

This could feel daunting to any athlete, but Sheridan is confident that he’ll be able to work into speed and compete with anybody at any level.

“As for track, Adrian has an elite team of hurdle recruits that I’m super excited to join,” he said. “We have the potential to be a top-five nationally-ranked hurdle group. For football, they’re lacking a tight end, so I hope to add my skills to both of those teams.”

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Joe Sheridan poses with friends and family during his signing on Wednesday to continue his athletic and academic careers after high school graduation at Adrian College. The Wildcat will be a part of the football and track and field teams while also planning to be in the pre-medical program.

Between both sports, Sheridan has his work cut out for him, but the pre-med path will be an even more formidable challenge.

Managing this could seem impossible, but Sheridan finished in the top ten percent of his graduating class and even a top ten student in grade point average overall at Alpena High School.

He understands classes will be more difficult, but his mindset, similar to that of sports and past schooling, means he’s ready for anything.

Before traveling and moving downstate, reminiscing and remembering everything accomplished at AHS is also important.

Of every athletic event and moment he’s participated in, he said the countless nights spent with the football team at Applebee’s tend to stand out the most.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Joe Sheridan poses with friends and family during his signing on Wednesday to continue his athletic and academic careers after high school graduation at Adrian College. The Wildcat will be a part of the football and track and field teams while also planning to be in the pre-medical program.

The tightly-knit relationships with teammates are unforgettable and truly mean the world to Sheridan and his fellow graduates.

Before signing off and officially becoming a Bulldog, Sheridan expressed his gratitude to everyone who gave him this chance.

“I would like to appreciate my family for supporting me, coming to my games, and taking me to all my different events and Coach Kraft for track, who has worked with me very personally to become better at hurdles and helped to shape me into the man I am today,” Sheridan said.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Joe Sheridan poses with friends and family during his signing on Wednesday to continue his athletic and academic careers after high school graduation at Adrian College. The Wildcat will be a part of the football and track and field teams while also planning to be in the pre-medical program.