MKRob Sports

Likely, Clark AU head football coach Ted Bahhur did a double take when he was approached by Detroit native Jeff Cashkin about trying out as one of his Panther gridders.

That, in and of itself, was not uncommon. What separated Cashkin from any other scholarshiped or walk-on player was his age. He’s 43.

‘This young man came to me wanting to have a chance to play football,”Bahhur told the VOICE. His life was in shambles. He wanted to prove to his family that he could change and be a whole new man. I said I’ll give you that opportunity.”

By his own admission, Cashkin’s life was a mess, helped little by his 25 year addiction to drugs and alcohol. “I made a lot of mistakes in my life which led me down some paths I am not proud of,” he told the newspaper, at times holding back tears. I got tired of it. I had a family that stayed behind me. I made a change and accepted Christ into my life. And things changed.”

It started for him after his release from jail for what he says will be the last time. The father of eight, he said he made a promise to his ex-wife in the midst of their divorce. “She asked me what were the three things I will do with my life. I said I intend to stay sober, redevelop relationships with those who loved me when I couldn’t help myself and take back everything  drugs took from me. One of them was a chance to play football.”

He said it was during a workout at a training facility called WPI (Wellness Performance Institute) in Sewanee ,Georgia that he learned about CAU. ‘ I was working out with a fella named Eric Johnson who said there was a coach down in Atlanta he knew real well and suggested I go and talk to him. WPI was good to me. They took their time, brought me in and helped me redevelop my body. After 25 years of addiction, I weighed 150 pounds.  I was pretty beat up. They got me to the point where I could come to CAU.”

Cashkin, who is white, said he isn’t fazed with being a minority on an 80 member roster..”I’m color blind,” he responded. There were only seven whites at my high school in Detroit. I’ve been homeless and on the streets so this (race) doesn’t bother me at all. I will say this. The guys on this team accepted me regardless of my age or color. They came to me as a friend.”

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