|
|
Our
Alumni
IGOR
OLSHANSKY
 After
two years of playing for the University of Oregon, Igor Olshansky was
selected in the second round of the NFL draft to play for the San Diego
Chargers. Igor has come a long way from the playground at Hebrew Academy!
His first thought was to buy his parents a house, wherever they want,
so they can move out of their cramped Sunset District apartment. He
also wants to help his sister set up her own chiropractic practice.
“I’m the father of three young kids,” said Igor’s
agent, Leigh Steinberg. “Our children need role models too.”
Only a handful of Jews have ever played in the NFL. “There’s
something about having a Jewish star in football; it’s the toughest
and most physical of all sports.”
Back in the Ukraine, Igor’s father worked as a butcher and was
well known in the community, but the family took advantage of opportunities
for Jews to leave the country and immigrated to America in 1989. “If
we weren’t Jewish, that would have been impossible,” explained
Igor.
Though never a bully, Igor was the big kid on the Hebrew Academy playground.
“He was built like a ton of bricks,” remarked Rabbi Lipner.
“Everyone figured he was going to end up playing ball; he was
better than everyone else. He was a good kid, a very nice kid.”
Igor went on to play basketball at the Maccabiah Games, and transferred
to Saint Ignatious High School, which is known for its excellent athletics.
Igor has always been the strongest player, both offensive and defensive.
“You can be a big, strong player, but if you’re not intelligent,
a player who may not be as gifted as you might overtake you, just because
of technique,” Igor explains. Incidentally, Igor also has academic
talent. He received good grades at the University of Oregon, studied
psychology, and aced the Wonderlic intelligence test given to all prospective
NFL draftees.
Igor believes, “I’m no different from anybody else. I’m
just a family guy.” He would like a big family, maybe three kids,
and a few dogs. “I really think I was born to play this sport,”
says Igor. “I also love it because it’s the hardest thing
I’ve ever done in my life. It’s also the greatest thing
I’ve ever done in my
life.”
Link
to the cover story in J. the Jewish news weekly of northern california
|
