By now, Libertyville senior David Freedman is comfortable lugging around some type of equipment on a daily basis.
An offensive lineman, Freedman has been playing tackle football since fifth grade, so carrying pads and a helmet is part of his routine.
But the 6-foot-3, 265-pound Freedman, one of the Wildcats’ biggest players, often is seen around school with another large piece of equipment — a cello.
“Playing in the orchestra with the cello is something that’s very different,” he said. “Going from one period for orchestra, when you’re with one type of group, then right after school to go to a different type of group in football … is not usual.
“But what I’ve noticed, even if they have different traits, the football team and orchestra really value relationships and working together and having a good time.”
Freedman said he started playing the cello in third grade, when his family moved from Grayslake to Libertyville. He said his previous school didn’t offer orchestra.
“I always liked the idea of playing music,” he said. “I tried all the instruments at my new school in Libertyville. I thought the versatility and how the cello sounded that it was the best fit for me. I was always one of the biggest kids, so the cello worked.”
Freedman said he wanted to be productive during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic and practiced the cello for “three or four hours” a day. He said he performs four or five times a year for the school’s orchestra and sometimes at a local nursing home.
Freedman, who said he rarely receives any ribbing from his teammates about the cello, has offers to play football at Division III programs Carnegie Mellon, Washington University and Case Western. He plans to major in engineering. The time commitment required for academics and football in college means he won’t be playing the cello much longer.
Libertyville coach Mike Jones said Freedman is well-respected among his teammates.
“David’s the biggest of his three brothers,” Jones said. “He’s a hard worker, a lunch-pail guy. He’s a really good teammate and academically a really good student. We have high expectations for him. We have a good number of returning guys, including at running back and four offensive linemen. David is a leader within that group, and others look up to him.”
Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, Freedman said his mother, Marijo, loved the Pittsburgh Steelers, sparking his interest in the sport. His older brother, Ben, played for Libertyville’s Class 7A runner-up team in 2015. His twin brother, Joe, is an outside linebacker for the Wildcats, who open the season at home against Carmel on Aug. 27.
“The football bug came from my mom,” Freedman said. “She always loved the culture. My dad never played, but my mom was always a big fan. She wanted us all to play football. She was all-in for us.”
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Team: Libertyville.
Spring record: 4-2.
Offensive leaders: Connor Dickson, senior, QB; David Freedman, senior, OL; Tommy Latka, senior, RB; Josh Sears, senior, OL.
Defensive leaders: Caleb Christensen, junior, DL; Dylan Holmes, senior, CB; Samuel Pinsel, senior, DL; John Stokovich, senior, CB.
Playoff history: 25 appearances; most recently lost 47-6 to Nazareth in 2019 Class 7A first round.
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.