Knoch senior Chad Yaroschak has earnedthe rank of Eagle Scout by completing therenovation of the Knoch High Stadium press box this year. As part of the project, Yaroschak and his crew replaced all ceiling tiles and drywall in the structure which had sustained damage due to water and vandalism.

JEFFERSON TWP — Football has not been the sport of choice for Knoch senior Chad Yaroschak.

He's left his mark on that program, nonetheless.

A track and field member and cross country runner at Knoch, Yaroschak spent much of the summer overseeing a volunteer project to renovate and clean up the pressbox at Knoch Stadium.

The effort served as his Eagle Scout project. Yaroschak is one of six members of Troop 53 in Penn Township to successfully reach Eagle Scout level this year.

“Part of the Eagle Scout project is to bring in other people, lead them in how to do the work,” Yaroschak said. “This project meant a lot to me because it did something positive for my school.”

The leader of Troop 53, Paul Walter, does work with the Knoch football team. Samuel Frishkorn, the father of one of Yaroschak's fellow scouts, is a math teacher at the school.

“I found out about the pressbox situation and was able to arrange my Eagle Scout project through those contacts,” Yaroschak said.

Knoch football coach and athletic director Mike King said the pressbox had sustained water damage over the years and had been vandalized.

“Someone had punched holes in the wall ... That box is about 20 years old to start with,” King said. “Water had leaked through the top of the booth, where we had bolts and rails attached.

“I think it's tremendous that a kid stepped up and got that project completed. It was a lot of work and definitely something that was needed.”

Yaroschak began the project on April 26. He was originally working on the pressbox approximately once a week. Once the summer months arrived, he was there twice a week.

Roughly 20 volunteers assisted him in the work. The South Butler School District provided most of the supplies and some of the materials were donated by volunteers.

The final day of the project was Aug. 27, the first day of school.

“We used mildew-resistant drywall, ceiling tile, a lot of paint and primer,” Yaroschak said. “We put in a combined 185.5 hours of work.”

Yaroschak took the project seriously enough that he chose not to run cross country this season.

“I felt like this (pressbox) took top priority and I wanted to devote my time and energy there,” he said.

King lauded the efforts of Yaroschak and the other volunteers.

“That wasn't easy work,” the coach said. “It gets hot up there during the summer and there is no air conditioning.

“Chad goes to Vo-Tech. He's an industrious kid, very resourceful.”

Now he's an Eagle Scout.

“I'm proud of that,” Yaroschak said. “I'm grateful for the opportunity to fix up the pressbox and use that project to gain this level.

“I first joined the Boy Scouts in February of 2008. This is the seventh level to attain and I'm happy to achieve it.”