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Fort Recovery senior Cale Rammel, center, will attend Ohio Christian University in Circleville and play basketball for the Trailblazers. Seated with Cale, from left, are Fort Recovery head basketball coach Bob Leverette, Cale's parents Angie and Randy Rammel and Fort Recovery athletic director Holly Gann.
FORT RECOVERY - The call just came out of the blue.
What looked to be a random call from a college to Cale Rammel turned into the opportunity the Fort Recovery basketball standout was looking for as he officially signed with Ohio Christian University in Circleville.
"It was a random number that called me. About an hour before, another random number called and said they were 3 1/2 hours away (from Fort Recovery)," said Rammel, who is deciding between business and physical education as a major. "I thought it was them calling me back and I said I was sorry but not interested. That was (actually the OCU) assistant coach, then the head coach got in touch with coach (Fort Recovery head coach Bob) Leverette saying they really wanted me. They called back and I scheduled a visit and they came and watched me in the Ohio-Indiana All-Star Game (Nancy Rehm Border War at Indiana Tech). When I went there, I loved it. It's small like Fort Recovery."
The Trailblazers, playing in the NAIA River States Conference, finished 12-16 last season and 7-11 in the RSC, but with a new coach in place, Rammel believes the team can move up.
"I can tell from talking to the new coach that he's all about winning and changing culture," said Rammel. "All the guys on the team are similar to me. It's easy to mold with them."
Rammel etched his name into the history books at Fort Recovery during his stellar career after averaging an area-best 22.5 points per game this past season to go with 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Rammel's 1,261 career points rank sixth all-time while he earned third-team All-Ohio as a junior and special mention All-Ohio this past season.
"Whatever you put in is what you get," said Rammel. "If you have to go into the gym by yourself and put up shots to make yourself better, that's what it takes. It can't be a one-man show. It takes all five on the court together."
