By Leigh Ann Tipton
When Braedon Sloan suits up to take the field at Kroger Stadium on Saturday against the University of Kentucky, he knows he’ll have the support of his home county behind him and the Eastern Kentucky University Colonels.
In fact, he expects his family and friends from Wayne County to show up in droves.
“How many people does the stadium hold?” Sloan asked. When told the field holds about 61,000 people, he joked his friends and family from Wayne County, Kentucky will fill about 60,000 of those seats.
Among them will be his father, James Sloan, a former Wayne County High and Campbellsville University football standout himself, who calmly supports his son from the stands. His mother, Kelly Maloney, takes a different tack – going all out to show her son support with style. Everything from her yard, to her clothing, to her fingernails will be decorated with his #21. Aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, former teachers and coaches – they’re all expected to be rooting on the Colonels Saturday (Sept. 9) when they kickoff at 3 pm. ET against the Wildcats. Sloan expects the stands to be like a family reunion – full of the people from his small Kentucky town of Frazer, and surrounding Wayne County.
Sloan has been a standout at running back for Eastern Kentucky University the last two years, leading the team last season with 629 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He also added versatility at the RB position, catching 42 passes for 506 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers earned him recognition as a HERO Sports Sophomore All-American and Phil Steele First-Team All ASUN. Prior to coming to EKU, he was a standout at Wayne County High School, where he was a two-time all-state selection and two-time Class AAAA District 7 Player of the Year.
Sloan says it almost feels unreal to be a starter for the Division I Colonels heading into his third season – but he’s also the first to point out he didn’t get here on his own.
“They say it takes a village, and my story really is about a village helping out,” he said. Both his parents worked while he was growing up, as did his grandparents, so the family relied on a larger support system of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends to make sure Sloan made it to practices and games. “It was such a blessing that people found the time to make sure I got to where I needed to be.”
Perhaps they were so willing in part because Sloan is just a likable guy. He’ll engage in conversation with anyone at almost any time – going out of his way to make sure everyone feels welcomed. It’s what he does off the field, when no one is looking, that has drawn the community of Frazer and Wayne County around him. It’s also what he prides himself on the most, in spite of the accolades for his prowess on the football field.
In fact, one of his most cherished honors came not on the field, but back in the classroom at Wayne County High School. A classmate had to write an assignment on someone who had impacted them – and they chose to write about Sloan.
“That meant so much to me,” Sloan said, an infectious smile sweeping across his face. “Football is a great thing for me – but I don’t ever want to be known just for that. Hopefully when people describe me, they say I respect them as a human and respect where they’ve come from.”
That’s just the kind of person Wayne County and the EKU Colonel family can get behind – and both are expecting big things from Sloan both on and off the field this season.