Minnesota West grad Laverman now part of national title game spotlight

Jacob Laverman grew up on a farm in Ocheyedan, Iowa, before attending Minnesota West Community & Technical College.

Nearly 14 years later, Laverman was on the sidelines on Monday night as the Director of Football Rehabilitation and Assistant Athletic Trainer at Indiana University, which played the University of Miami for the College Football Playoff national championship.

According to a press release issued by Minnesota West, Laverman chose Minnesota West after graduating from high school and went on to play one year of golf and two years of baseball while earning an Associate of Arts degree in liberal arts. Among his mentors, he said, was Joel Krekelberg, who taught sports injuries and athletic training courses, and those classes sparked an interest in sports medicine —a passion that would shape the rest of his life.

Once Laverman committed to pursuing athletic training, he focused on finding a school with a strong reputation and solid opportunities in the field. He ultimately chose Iowa State University.

The Minnesota West press release stated that, during the first fall at Iowa State in 2012, he worked with college football as an athletic training student and was encouraged to pursue summer internships. After mailing applications to all 32 NFL teams, the Indianapolis Colts called, interviewed and offered him an opportunity — thanks in part to Iowa State’s strong connections with their staff. Later, he landed a position with the Seattle Seahawks in the summer of 2016.

Laverman went on to spend the 2018 season with the Colts, and that reinforced his goal to pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree for advanced sports rehabilitation knowledge. That would lead to his current position at Indiana University, where he’s in his seventh year.

Advised Laverman in the press release: “Take time to look at your options—what’s out there and what it’ll cost—and talk to trusted advisors. Once you pick a path, go all in, build relationships, and keep an open mind because you never know which connection will change everything. Be ready to give it your all. I hope I’m beginning to build a strong network and create opportunities to give back—helping the next generation of sports medicine professionals succeed."

:Laverman (right) is shown with star Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.