FREEMONT, Ohio — Ohio native Charles Woodson was enshrined in football immortality over the weekend as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Juan Vela is making sure the store is stocked with all things needed for local school spirit.
“Open the shop, clean and start prepping orders for the day and during football season. It’s a lot of purple coming out of this shop,” said Vela.
He’s owned the Fremont Athletic Supply for five years, where he’s enjoyed getting to know everyone in town by talking sports.
“The history of it, back in the day stuff and the newcomers coming up in the local sports and all sports and just situations that happen in the games after the game is played, so just, I would say the relationships we have with people,” he said.
But for this basketball coach, there’s one Fremont athlete who’s name comes up in plenty of conversations.
“His senior year was my first year here. Never went to a football game but my buddy had said, ‘You need to watch this guy. He’s going to be special.” And I thought he was just going to be an average player. Well, the next couple years, he ended up being a Heisman Trophy winner,” explained Vela.
Woodson has become a legend in football, and it all began in Fremont, Ohio. The street where the stadium stands is named his honor. It’s a place the Hall of Famer remembers fondly.
“Going outside in Delaware Acres and playing pickup football games, going to my elementary school, playing pickup basketball games. In our community man, we were pretty tight knit, so we kind of did everything together,” said Woodson during a Pro Football Hall of Fame interview.
And many want to bring those memories back to life, as the demand started pouring in for a retro jersey from the town where it all began.
“We had a lot of phone calls believe it or not, asking if we carry that item, and that’s where the idea came from. So then we talked to the athletic boosters and the school to see if we could do that,” said Vela.
And as Vela continues to sell merchandise to help people remember the NFL great, he hopes his success can be an example to the next generation.
“For being a small town and for what he did athletically in his life and professional sports and in college, I think it means a lot to this town. I think it gives other kids the hope that someone in a small town like this can go and do big things.”
Fremont Athletic Supply said that rather than put Woodson’s last name on the back of his jersey, the store is using Woodson’s brand “Build your Legend.”
