On the first day of practice, the coach of the elementary school football team asked who was going to be the quarterback. Third-grader Matt Schaub raised his hand and said, “I’ll do it.”

Schaub, a natural athlete, has come a long way since that first practice. At the  age of 28, this 6-foot, 5-inch gentle giant has already had an exciting football career. Although he has gained national recognition through his award-winning, record-breaking actions on the field, he still has some unachieved goals and dreams to work toward —one of those is to lead Houston to the Super Bowl.

Even though he has been in the limelight for much of his life, he does not seem to realize he ’s a celebrity. He is an easy going guy, comfortable in his own skin. Schaub is truly a man of quiet maturity, leadership and character on and off the field.

In his home town of West Chester, Pennsylvania, high school sports dominated his life. He juggled football, baseball and basketball with keeping up his studies. By graduation, Schaub had lettered in all three sports. In football, he set school records for pass attempts, completions, yards per game and total yards.

After high school, he headed to the University of Virginia. In college, where many football players are continuing to hone their skills, Schaub was busy setting records and receiving awards. He was named a 2003 Heisman Trophy candidate and received the John Acree Memorial Trophy, given to the football player with the highest qualities of leadership and unselfish service.

After obtaining a degree in economics in 2004, he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons for the position of backup quarterback. While in the Peach Tree state, he played all 16 games his last two seasons.

“My parents moved to Atlanta after I graduated from high school, so during breaks from college, I ’d visit. Being drafted by Atlanta was a coincidence and was almost like going home, ” Schaub says.

Traded to Houston in 2007, Schaub is described on the Texans’ Web site as an accurate, strong-armed and smart quarterback who has gained a reputation as one of the most accurate signal callers in the game. Plus, he already owns the Texans ’ career record with five 300-yard games, including four in 2008. He also holds the franchise record for career passer rating with a mark of 90.3 since joining the club.

In his short career, Schaub has become one of the most respected players in the National Football League, and  Texans’ head coach Gary Kubiak  says, “Houston is lucky to have him.

 

About Texans Fans

With football season in full-swing, fans are watching from the edge of their seats as Schaub, in number 8 jersey, takes the field to fulfill one of his goals. “It is important to the team, to me, to bring a Super Bowl to Houston,”

he says.

Schaub stresses the importance of fans—how they keep the team encouraged and the difference they make in the way the players perform on the field.

“Our fans are always there for us, and I want to say thank you. On game day, we hope they find their seat before the game begins, because we like to see the place filled from the first kick-off to that last whistle. Plus, our fans give us home field advantage. Teams come in and waste time-outs or get penalties because they cannot hear, and I credit the fans for being loud, ” Matt says.

On Living in the South

When Matt left Pennsylvania for Virginia, he was confronted with his first glimpse of southern hospitality. He fell in love with the  warmth and friendliness of the south and discovered that southern hospitality can be something very real.

“I loved Atlanta, and I loved coming to Houston. Houston is a great city. The people are so nice, so hospitable and friendly that it has been an easy transition. One of my best days, outside of the day I

An avid golfer, Schaub met his wife, Laurie, at a golf tournament hosted by one of his Falcon teammates.  

“Laurie didn’t know I was playing in the golf tournament; she thought I worked at the country club where the tournament was being held. For about a year, this couple, who hosted the tournament and knew us both, kept saying Laurie and I needed to go out. But we both kind of just said no, holding off. Eventually, I asked for her number, gave her a call and we went out on a date, ” Matt says.

Matt and Laurie have been married for a little over a year and a half, and in the spring they will be welcoming their first child into their Bellaire home.

 

The Importance of Family

Laurie hails from Birmingham, Alabama, and Matt’s parents still reside in Atlanta, so the couple makes the trek back east two or three times a year. But, Matt ’s parents try to make every Texan game, and Laurie’s parents come for a number of games each season, too. During football season, the Schaubs have a full house on the weekends.

Family is important to Matt, and according to Coach Kubiak, there isn’t a time when the team walks into any stadium or hotel when they are on the road that Matt ’s family is not there. “Matt’s family provides him with a great support system. With him being in the limelight the way he is, his strength comes from his family during wins and losses, ” Kubiak says.

 

A Peek at the Future

The Schaubs’ hopes and dreams for the future include having a healthy family with lots of children, bringing a Super Bowl to Houston and traveling the world.

“We want to see the world, experience the different cultures and the histories of other countries. We would like to go to Europe. But again, definitely a healthy family and to win a Super Bowl is foremost, ” Schaub says.

The Schaubs are also in the process of starting a foundation to support education. Within a year the details should be finalized and the foundation operational.

“Laurie is a wonderful person, and Matt is a great guy, too. They both have the highest of morals and values, and are all around wonderful people. It is really great to see two really nice, good people together, ” said Kevin Cooper, director of public relations, Houston Texans.l