Pioneer's Schwab puts in the work

by Matthew Ondesko: Managing Editor

On a cold winter day you can see Pioneer High School quarterback getting back to the daily grind. There is no offseason for the recent New Hampshire football commit. While the high school season has come to an end, the work is just getting started.

That means getting up early and putting the work in before school starts. It means not getting home until 10 p.m., it’s hitting the weight room, it’s film sessions. It’s working with his quarterback coach. Schwab is doing everything that it takes to get better.

He isn’t resting on the fact that he signed with New Hampshire, or the fact he threw 45 touchdown over the past two years. There is always something to work on. Always something to improve on.

“The offseason is a true day-to-day grind. From waking up at 4:30 a,m, to not getting home until as late as 10 p.m., the schedule demands relentless hard work and dedication. I spend weekly sessions with my quarterback coach, breaking down film on Zoom, analyzing plays, and developing new schemes for the offense,” stated Schwab. “On top of that, there’s the daily commitment to workouts, pushing myself physically and mentally to improve. In many ways, I believe the offseason requires more effort and focus than the regular season.”

It’s been a great high school for Schwab, one that saw him start his high school journey at Canisius High School before transferring back to Pioneer. While the hour long drive took a toll on him and his family, Schwab learned a lot from hit brief time as a Crusader.

The rigorous academics that Canisius provides helped shaped the person he is today. While his time was short, Schwab cherishes the moments he had in the program, and took that back to Pioneer where his career took off.

“My high school career began at Canisius High School, where I had the privilege of building a strong connection with coach Rich Robins, the former head coach that left the year of me entering. My quarterback coach also played a significant role in influencing my football journey and helping me grow as a player,” stated Schwab . “My time at Canisius is something I will always cherish. The rigorous academics and competitive athletics pushed me in ways that helped me grow both on and off the field. The friendships I made at Canisius remain some of the strongest in my life, and I treasure all the memories I made during my time there. However, the decision to transfer back home to Pioneer was largely due to the daily commute. Traveling from Arcade to Buffalo, which was about an hour each way, became tough for both me and my family. Despite the challenges, I’m grateful for everything Canisius gave me and the foundation it helped build for my future.”

His future has been a bright one ever since he put his cleats on for the first time. When on the field you could tell Schwab just loves the games. He loves to compete every time he’s out there, and it shows.

When he moved back to Pioneer, Schwab had to learn to just play loose. He needed to play without any weight on his shoulders. Just go out there and have fun. He also wanted to make sure he developed as a leader on the football team.

“As I moved back into Pioneer, the biggest thing I needed to learn about the position was to play with no weight on my shoulders,” stated Schwab. “Play free and just be me. Also I needed to develop a role as a leader on our football team. It was a big change from coming from the Canisius offense back to the Pioneer offense.”

While it was a different offense to learn, Schwab just put in the work. He put in more film time. Film has been the key to his success on the field. The more film he has been able to watch has allowed to him to identify the weaknesses of the defense each week.

That has allowed him to have a great run over the past two seasons. In the last two years, Schwab has thrown for 45 touchdowns while only throwing five picks. Taking care of the football is a top priority for Schwab, and he has done a good job doing that.

“Film is the key to success, being able to watch it week in and week out is a huge part of success. It shows the defenses weaknesses and where we can attack on that week. If plays were called on the right situation,” stated Schwab. “Over the past two seasons, I’ve thrown 45 passing touchdowns with only five interceptions, which I consider one of the strongest accomplishments of my career. Protecting the football is a key part of winning games, and I take great pride in making smart decisions on the field. Having reliable receivers who can catch the ball and keep it out of the defense’s hands has been a huge part of that success.”

His success on the field got colleges and universities noticing. Schwab has always wanted to play at the highest level, and now he is realizing his dream by being able to suit up for New Hampshire, a program that is always in the FCS playoffs.

Playing at the highest level will allow Schwab to continue to grow as a person. It will allow him to surround himself with great people, at a great university.

“Committing to play football at the Division 1 level, especially at a program like New Hampshire, is an incredible milestone,” stated Schwab. “It has shown of years of hard work, dedication, and love for the game. The excitement comes not just from the opportunity to compete at a higher level, but also from the chance to grow as an athlete and person, surrounded by teammates who share the same passion and drive.”

The recruiting process is different for everyone. Some have a great experience, others feel like it can just drag, and weigh on you mentality. For Schwab the process was a learning experience.

He learned about himself both on and off the field while choosing the school he wanted to attend for the next four years.

“The recruiting process taught me a lot about myself, both as an athlete and as a person. One of the biggest lessons was the importance of patience,” stated Schwab. “There were moments of uncertainty and tough decisions to make, but I learned to trust the process and believe in the work I had put in. And that God has a plan for me ahead.”

Schwab is ready for the next step in the process. He knows it won’t be easy. He knows he will be humbled at times. But, he is there to compete and get better so when his number is called he will be ready to help New Hampshire win.

“The next step is definitely going to be a humbling but a great experience. As for me to get into New Hampshire, I want to learn and grow as an athlete,” stated Schwab. “Playing any position I can, to see the field in my freshman year. As going in, I will redshirt and take more of a role as to learn the offense in and out. As well as the defense. Play anywhere I can to benefit the team.”