Oregon fans were well aware of Justin Herbert’s three-sport background at Sheldon High School.
But most weren’t aware that he also co-founded the fishing club at Sheldon, along with teammate Ryan Phillipo. That was until Pac-12 Network aired a photo of Herbert during Oregon’s game against Arizona State. The photo instantly took off on social media.
Les Phillipo, one of the advisors for the club and a football coach at Sheldon, was sitting at home watching the game when the photo popped up on screen. The commentator, he recalled, described the fish as a ‘sockeye salmon.’ But Les Phillipo knew that it was a carp Herbert caught at the pond behind Albertsons grocery store on Coburg Road. The group of people he was watching with began to laugh.
At Sheldon, the reaction was much of the same.
“I know everyone at the school freaked out once they saw the photo,” Ryan said.
Justin Herbert is a legend🎣🎣🎣 #ASUvsUO pic.twitter.com/XpJ4x8qazD
— #FirstTo500 (@Pac12Network) October 29, 2016
Les Phillipo said a current Sheldon player turned the photo in for the broadcast. Later, a representative from ESPN emailed Les requesting highlights from Herbert’s days at Sheldon — along with any photos he might be able to provide from Herbert’s days in the fishing club.
“People were kind of more interested in the fishing club than anything else,” Les said. “It’s pretty cool.”
Ryan Phillipo, an offensive lineman on the Oregon football team, said Herbert likes to fish in Alton Baker Park. One time, they went trout fishing on the Willamette River on a drift boat.
Herbert’s responsibilities leading the Ducks offense have limited his fishing time, but at Sheldon, Ryan Phillipo remembers Herbert’s ability to unite football players and non-athletes alike through the club.
“It basically just describes him [Herbert],” Ryan Phillipo said of the fishing club. “He’s a fun, goofy guy. He’s laid back, likes to hang out and likes to play video games, go fishing and chill.”
Les Phillipo said 50 students showed up for initial fishing club meetings. Along with Scott Wright — another teacher and football coach at Sheldon — the two advisors helped Herbert and others fill out the necessary paperwork and record signatures to start the club.
“Our first couple of meetings were monstrous meetings — girls, boys, all age groups,” Les Phillipo said. “It was neat.”
The club usually met once or twice a month. They also looked forward to their custom fishing club t-shirts. Les said the club’s current leadership asked the club’s most famous alum abount the design for 2016-17.
“It was kind of his baby,” Les Phillipo said. “He ran the meetings and kind of got everything set up. It kind of turned into his pet project.”
After the 2016 football season ends, Herbert will have more time on his hands. After he’s set his offseason goals, it’s a sure bet that he will find time to fish.
But until then, he’s elevated the fishing club in a way Les Phillipo could have never expected.
“We kind feel honored that we’re nationally known as a club at Sheldon High School,” Les said. “That’s kind of cool.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne
