Brandon Sanders ’18

From a young age, Brandon Sanders ’18 was always interested in sports, particularly football and baseball. At the same time, his parents, both Columbia University graduates, also stressed the importance of academics, being multidimensional, and finding the balance between school and athletics. Growing up playing sports, Sanders was always looking for that balance, and he was intrigued when he first learned about the Prep. After developing relationships with Prep coaches and finding out more about the school, he was “all in on the Prep, especially once I figured out how to take the train to the Prep from Downingtown,” he says. “It provided the perfect opportunity for me to fulfill my two goals: a good education and the chance to play high-level sports.”

Sanders says that the Prep quickly taught him discipline and time management. “I’ll never forget my dad dropping me off on his way to work for my 6:18 a.m. train from Downingtown to Suburban Station, and then the bus from there to the Prep. That was every single day for about three years. The commute alone taught me a lot,” he says.

At the Prep, Sanders found several mentors. “(Former Prep Football) Coach Gabe Infante not only played a key role in getting me to come to the Prep, but he also taught me how to commit myself to the process of bettering myself and to not give up when things get hard,” he says. 

Off the football field, Sanders applauds English teachers Mr. Joe Coyle and Dr. Christian Rupertus: “They may have been tough in class, but they set an example of how to be successful with work ethic, empathy, and developing relationships with their students,” he remembers. “They helped me realize that I wasn’t at the Prep solely to be a good football player, but rather to learn how to succeed in all facets of my life going forward. I think every Prep grad can point to a group of teachers, staff, or coaches and say ‘those people showed a genuine interest in me and were there to support me.’”

After graduation from the Prep, Sanders began attending Bucknell University, another place where he could find the balance between getting a good education and pursuing his football career. “It was a challenge, but the discipline and skills I learned at the Prep translated well. It was nice to see the hard work pay off,” he says. After three years at Bucknell, and with an extra year of eligibility gained during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanders transferred to Rutgers University to finish his last two years of college football at a Big 10 school. “I felt I had accomplished what I had hoped to at Bucknell and was ready for a new challenge,” he says. He played his senior year at Rutgers, but then suffered a foot injury. Despite having rehab on his foot, he knew it was time to call it a career.

After finishing his playing days at Rutgers, Sanders transitioned into coaching, beginning with student-coaching the wide receivers at Rutgers. “It was hard to have my playing career end after putting so much into it over the years, but I’ve realized it was for a greater purpose,” he says, “I hoped to stay involved in football or sports in general. That ultimately led me to start a job as a personal trainer. As a former athlete, it was a natural fit. I love being able to understand how the body works and help others put together goals and plans to achieve them.”

Around the same time, Prep Football Coach Tim Roken, who was Sanders’ offensive coordinator at the Prep, reached out and asked him to help with the Prep’s football team. He started helping one day, then a few days per week, and now he is on the staff as an Assistant Wide Receiver Coach. “It’s awesome,” he says of his coaching experience, “Especially knowing that I was in these kids’ shoes not that long ago. As a player, I was always asking my coaches for ways I could improve or asking them to help me achieve my goals. Now as a coach, I’m looking to provide that same guidance for our players.”

He describes the current Prep players by saying “most Prep students are alike in terms of their drive to be excellent. It’s exciting to know that these students rely on you as a coach to accomplish that and to know that every day I can do something to impact them. In both my coaching and training, I really enjoy working with people and seeing them develop. I like finding ways to get the best out of them.”

Sanders’ advice to his athletes is: “Run your own race. Nowadays, people are always trying to compare themselves and their journeys to others. However, part of growing older is realizing that despite our similarities, each of us has a unique set of skills and life experiences. You have to figure out your place in the world and understand that your journey may look different than someone else’s. There are things that are out of your control. I spent a lot of my time at the Prep and in college comparing myself to others. I realized that was not productive for me and when my mindset flipped, I saw my world open up.”

Sanders was honored to receive the Trailblazer Award and said it was meaningful, “because it was validation from people who are close to me, at the school that shaped my young life. They were saying, ‘We see you working; you’re making a difference.’ It is fulfilling to hear and offers a thermometer to keep going in the right direction.”