Blue Chips: Mother of Michigan OL commit Jake Guarnera talks recent official visit
I recently caught up with Cheryl Guarnera, mother of Michigan commit and three-star Ponte Vedra Beach (Fla.) High offensive lineman Jake Guarnera, to get her thoughts on U-M and their recent official visit.
Here are some highlights from the interview.
On why Michigan was the right spot for Guarnera:
“First and foremost, as a mother, I always think about the academics. They have a stellar academic program. I know that academics are really important to the football team — making sure they get their education and that they are preparing not just for four years but for the 40 years ahead of them. For me, that was No. 1. Also, the family feel and Coach (Sherrone) Moore. I really like him. When I first met him, he just seemed like a really nice, down to earth guy who commands respect but does it in a manner that’s positive and supportive. Jake went up there for the BBQ, and that’s when we first met him. I saw how he worked with Jake, and I thought he did a great job with how he talked to him and gave him advice. Those two components were the key to selecting Michigan.”
On the Michigan staff:
“I think they are very professional and have a really good program going there. They’ve won the Joe Moore Award two years in a row, so obviously, they are doing something right. It just seems like family first. There is definitely a family environment. They are good leaders for Jake to emulate. I had a good feel for the school and the culture they’ve built there.”
On the Michigan official visit:
“It was a great visit. The biggest takeaway was meeting the other families. We hadn’t met them at all. I had met Luke (Hamilton) and Ben’s (Roebucks) fathers at the BBQ, but we hadn’t really met some of the other families in-person. That was a huge step — getting to know them and putting the name to the face. We really connected with the families. We know it’s a brotherhood there, and they all seem to get along really well. That was definitely the highlight of the visit. Seeing Coach Moore again and his family was great as well.”
On the Michigan campus, facilities, etc.
“I really liked the campus. We didn’t see much of it when we went up there the other times — we went up for the BBQ and the game against Hawaii. This time, we saw a lot of it. It’s walkable. It’s close to the football facility. I like that the campus is neat and manageable as far as getting to class and the practice fields. That’s one of the things I talked to Jake about. You want it to be manageable with football and academics. I also liked the downtown area.”
On the culture at Michigan:
“It’s a positive culture. They are always trying to be better. They have the approach of ‘we’re one big family, and we’re going to support each other and go through these things together.’ The support for the academics is really good. They are doing a great job creating the culture. We got to spend some time with the existing players as well to make sure it was the right fit. It’s family first, but they are also going to work hard to win a national championship.”
On which presentations stood out on the visit:
“I liked the academic presentation because that’s No. 1. They have a good support system there and plan for the kids. We haven’t met with anyone to go over classes yet, but he has a great array of options as far as potential majors or doing a double major. I also enjoyed listening to the nutrition and weight lifting presentations. Jake really enjoyed that. They have a really good method of developing kids when they are first brought in. They even showed us the difference just 90 days later. That was interesting.”
On how Jake will fit in on and off the field:
“From the culture perspective, I think he’s going to fit in and be a great addition. He’s going to be going back for the BBQ in a few weeks. Being far away, you want your child to be in a good environment, where he can count on people, and he’s on the phone with those guys more than I talk to him during the week (laughs). He’s really enjoyed getting to know the guys. They even rip on each other a little bit. Knowing that he’s comfortable and that he’s already developed relationships before going there, that’s huge. As a parent, it definitely makes me feel comfortable and confident that he’s going to be taken care of.”
On what she wants to add about Michigan:
“We’re excited as a family. We’re definitely going to try to make some games. He has three sisters, and we all plan to go up there at some point. They were at the BBQ last year, so they got to see Michigan a little bit. They are excited for him. They’ll miss him, but we think he’s going to the best program for Jake. We think he can make a significant contribution to the team. Hopefully, the team will come together and win a natty while he’s there.”
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