Feature Friday: Jake Fely

Aztec linebacker Jake Fely makes a big tackle in the win over Boise State (Ernie Anderson/SDSU Media Relations)

The fifth in a series of Feature Friday video interviews

Jake Fely is a 5-foot-10, 210-pound sophomore linebacker from Oceanside, Calif. Although many consider him undersized, Fely has been one of the Aztecs’ best defenders as he consistently makes plays all over the field.

I sat down with Fely to learn more about him both on and off the football field. Here is the video interview:

Special thanks to Sean Scarborough for filming and producing the video content

Did you miss the last Feature Friday interview with safety Nat Berhe? See it here!

And the winner of the Feature Friday poll is…

SDSU players sang the fight song in front of their friends and family after beating Boise State on the road last Saturday (Ernie Anderson/SDSU Media Relations)

Aztec fans –

Thanks for voting in the recent Feature Friday video interview poll. There were six players to choose from, and each of them got a considerable amount of votes. There were also a few write-in selections, so thanks for the input!

Two players received a majority of the vote, and it wasn’t until the last day that one of them pulled away to win the poll. Tight end Gavin Escobar and linebacker Jake Fely received the most votes.

After a week of voting, the winner of the Feature Friday poll is…

Jake Fely!

Stay tuned tomorrow for a brand new video interview with the Aztecs’ middle linebacker.

Linebacker Jake Fely during the victory over Boise State (Ernie Anderson/SDSU Media Relations)

 

by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS

 

Warrior Wednesday: Equipment Staff

Some of the SDSU equipment staff following the big win over Boise State. From left to right: Sonny Sanfilippo, Mark Kellogg (student manager), Angie Garza, Rich Hodgkinson, and Lindsay Degnan (student manager)

Helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys, cleats, gloves – all of these, amongst others, are necessary equipment for a college football team.

With a team of over 100 players, purchasing, fitting, distributing and laundering all of this equipment is no easy task. Add that to overseeing over a dozen other sports, and you’ve got yourself a thoroughly demanding job, one that can not be done by just one person.

Luckily for Angie Garza, director of athletic equipment services at San Diego State, she has help, and lots of it.

Garza, who worked as a student equipment manager when she attended SDSU from 2001-2004, was the assistant director of equipment services at SDSU from 2004-2009. She then accepted a job to become the head equipment manager at the University of San Diego, but was hired again by SDSU in 2012 when the head position opened up.

Garza’s staff includes Ben Harman (assistant director), Dennis Brown and Sonny Sanfilippo (equipment attendants), and nine student managers. Rich Hodgkinson, a current student at SDSU, is the head student manager.

Sanfilippo, also a graduate of SDSU and former student manager, is pleased to see former Aztecs on the equipment staff. With the everyday stresses an equipment staff member faces, it would be difficult to stay motivated if they worked for a school that they did not attend.

“We take a lot of pride in working for our former school,” Sanfilippo said. “It would have been tough to leave here after being a student manager knowing that someone is running the show who didn’t go here. I feel that the program is in good hands now.”

For their commitment to assisting all of the athletic teams and providing them with everything needed to compete at the highest level possible, the SDSU equipment staff members are this week’s Wednesday Warriors.

 

Be sure to check out the official Facebook page of the SDSU football locker room for exclusive photos and information directly from the equipment staff!


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by Hunter Hewitt

GO AZTECS