JOHN KOVACH | Colleges Thiel's Napotnik earns scholar honor

GREENVILLE -- The direction, advice and motivation that Justin Napotnik has received from his parents and others in his life have helped him to achieve a high academic honor.
Napotnik, a senior running back for the Thiel College football team from Sharpsville High, has been named to College Football's 2003 National Scholar-Athlete Class by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
The three-year starter who leads the Tomcats in rushing for the third straight season was recognized for his 4.0 grade-point average as a major in biology and pre-medicine.
He is one of only 15 student-athletes in the nation chosen to the elite class from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA.
Napotnik will receive an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship and will be recognized at the NFF-College Hall of Fame's awards dinner December 9 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
Wants to be doctor
Napotnik, who wants to become a chiropractor and has applied for admission to Palmer Chiropractic College in Daytona Beach, Fla., credited his parents (Kathy and John), Dr. Matt Joseph and Thiel coach Jack Leipheimer.
"I'm blessed to have two intelligent parents. My father is the smartest person I know. I can ask him any questions and he has an answer," Napotnik said.
His father is a retired teacher and football coach at Sharpsville High, while his mother teaches at Sharpsville Middle School. His father coached for eight years at Sharpsville.
"Academics are going to be my way to success," he said. Toward that end, he makes sure he devotes the necessary time for study and homework.
"Basically it is time-management," he said. "I have a good social life [but] I know when to say no to certain things and concentrate on my school work."
Among leading rushers
Napotnik has rushed for more than 1,700 yards in his career, before Saturday's game against Alfred. He needed 54 more to climb into fifth place on Thiel's all-time rushing list.
Through seven games this season, he rushed for 437 yards in 108 attempts and two touchdowns, although the Tomcats have struggled to a 2-6 record. Last year, he rushed for 632 yards and three TDs.
Napotnik said he was influenced to become a chiropractor by Dr. Joseph, who has treated him for back problems caused by football since he was a freshman in high school.
"I became a believer in chiropractic. I wanted to do something in the medical field and I decided that chiropractic was the best option. It's something that I really believe in," said Napotnik, noting that Dr. Joseph not only became his physician but also his friend and adviser, and the pair developed a professional relationship.
"He has become an advisor to me. I went to chiropractic seminars with him. He is the one I ask questions about the field. He is pretty much my source of information."
Impressed by therapy
Napotnik said he has been impressed by chiropractic therapy after "seeing the number of people [who have had] surgeries scheduled, [but] after having months of treatment from [Dr. Joseph], wound up canceling surgeries. The success stories he has had and the patients he has had [have been impressive]."
Napotnik said he believes great strides have been made in the chiropractic field.
"I've done a lot of research on this and there is still a gap between chiropractic and the [general] medical field, but now some medical doctors are referring patients to chiropractors, and I think that relationship is only going to get better," he said.
Napotnik said Leipheimer, a native of Sharon and a former Kennedy Catholic High coach who is in his third season as Thiel's coach, has made a positive difference in the Tomcats from when Napotnik was a freshman.
Actualizing potential
"The main difference is he has a whole style of coaching. Our theme is RYFP -- Reach Your Full Potential. [The team] started to believe in improvement. It motivated a lot of players to get better because it is something we talked about every day," said Napotnik.
As for Napotnik's development with the team, "It's been a lot of hard work on my part. The new coaching staff came in and brought a new philosophy to the program and installed a new offense and kind of believe in [my capabilities]."
Napotnik made the All-PAC second team last year after being named honorable mention the year before.
In the classroom, he is a three-time Academic All-PAC selection, and has been named to the Dean's List six times. If he is picked two more times, he will be awarded the prestigious golden "Dean Key."
kovach@vindy.com