BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — The story of West Seneca's Shaun Dolac walking on to the Division I football team in his hometown, securing a full-ride scholarship and later becoming an All-American linebacker didn't come without struggle.
I sat down with Dolac two weeks before the start of the NFL Draft to discuss the path he has taken to get where he is today.
“Looking back on every adversity, every milestone that I’ve been through, I could say that I didn’t give up through all of it," Dolac said. "And because of that, it’s where I am today.”
That relentless attitude has paid off in more ways than one for Dolac. Despite being an All-American linebacker, he did not win the Burlsworth trophy this past year. An award given out to the best college football player who started as a walk-on. Then he didn’t receive an invite to the NFL Combine or the Senior Bowl. The hits just kept on coming, but it never detoured his focus on the main goal ahead.
"It’s something you dream of as a kid," Dolac said. "A lot of players want to go to the combine, want to go to the Senior Bowl Game. It was a little discouraging at the time. But to me it was just another bump in the road that I have to get over, and it’s not the end of the world."
Through all of that, Dolac’s faith in the pursuit of this dream never wavered, likely the result of this conversation with his father nearly a decade ago.
“He said no matter what you do, stay humble and never give up," Dolac said.
In 2016, Dolac’s father, John, passed away from cancer. It was in that darkness that he and his six siblings had to overcome their grief to plant a seed of resilience for their mom, Colleen.
“I think all my kids had to grow up fast because I fell out," Colleen said. "I lost my husband, I lost my job. So I was in a pretty depressed state. It was hard, it was tough times, but we made it.”
Eight years later, Dolac took his father’s words to heart and delivered one of the greatest single-season performances in the history of University at Buffalo Football. He led the nation in tackles with 168, and added six sacks, five interceptions and one pick-six touchdown. He earned first-team All-American honors at linebacker. All while leading the Bulls to a 9-4 record and a Bahamas Bowl victory.
Would you believe me if I told you that Dolac's world was once again rocked by tragedy less than eight months before the start of that sensational senior campaign?
“A good buddy of mine, his name was Andrew (Kocieniewski)...he would light up a room in an instant, but he was battling some mental struggles. He decided to take his own life in December of last year," said Dolac.
“I just remember the last UB game Andrew was with us, and he was so happy to be there with us and support Shaun," Jessica Dolac, Shaun's sister, added. "He just meant so much to our family. I’d say there were eight of us because he was always at our house.”
Along this journey, no one would’ve blamed Dolac for giving up, but he did the opposite because faith, family, and football kept him on the right path.
“I think everything I’ve gone through is just extra motivation to keep pursuing my dreams and realities," Dolac added. "Honestly, it’s been a journey and it’s been amazing and I wouldn’t ask to do it with another team or another family."
