The Quarterback and The Piano Player
November 25, 2011 | Football
Nov. 25, 2011
by Britton Drown
Texas Tech Athletics Communications
Jacob Karam is greeted with smiles and handshakes as he enters St. Elizabeth's Catholic church on a warm fall morning. People know him well here, referring to him as part of their family.
Among the crowd waiting inside the church is choir director Marsha Tye. She calls him her son, and Karam smiles as he sees her moments after walking through the tall wooden doors.
There are also the children who rush up to Karam as he sits down at his piano moments before the service begins. This morning it was a boy in a red shirt clinging to a photo of his favorite Texas Tech quarterback. The boy smiles as he hands it over, eager to speak to him and show off his prized possession.
Karam smiles back, and places the photo atop his black piano before the group bursts into another song of worship during their brief rehearsal.
This is Karam seamlessly playing the many roles of his unique personality, and he does it well. He's a role model, he's a quarterback, and each Sunday morning for the past two-and-a-half years, he's been the cheerful piano player for `St. E's Joyful Noise'--the name of their church choir.
"Football and music can kind of go hand-in-hand," Karam, who was named a Big 12 Fall Community Champion , said. "I think music can relax your mind."
For him, each Sunday, he escapes into the music created by him and the 14-member choir inside St. Elizabeth's chapel.
"Ever since I started playing for a church, I've really loved it," Karam said. "It helps relax me, and it's one of my favorite things to do."
It's just one of a handful of ventures Karam has excelled at during his two-and-half years in Lubbock.
See, football and music are not the only things Karam holds a strong passion for. He is also an extremely distinguished student who will graduate in just two-and-half years. Karam, a redshirt sophomore quarterback on the Texas Tech football team will receive his degree in University Studies/Pre-Law this December. He plans to earn his Master's Degree while completing his eligibility on the football team before continuing on to Law School.
Karam prides himself on being a well-rounded and likable person. Those around him flock towards his genuine personality, and recently he was selected to be the Banner Bearer for University College at his December graduation.
"I'm honored just because of what it signifies," Karam said. "It's a huge honor. I'm just well-rounded and hopefully I will be able to lead our class into the auditorium with some dignity."
Throughout his young academic career, Karam has been named to both the Texas Tech Dean's and President's lists twice, while also being named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll four times.
 Jacob Karam was named a Big 12 Fall Community Champion on Nov. 22  | |
It's a delicate balancing act that he faces head-on every week, and in the process he has never missed a service or band practice at St. Elizabeth's.
"I am just really lucky to have good time management skills," he said with a laugh. "I'm not the smartest, the biggest or the strongest. I just know how to manage my time the best. I've been very fortunate to have people around me that have helped me."
But he doesn't look at his commitment to playing piano for `St. E's Joyful Noise' each Sunday morning as an obligation, but rather an opportunity to do something he has grown passionate about throughout his life.
Karam learned to play the piano in Kindergarten, eventually joining his church choir where he played throughout high school. One of the very first things he did once he arrived in Lubbock as a freshman in 2008 was seek out a church family so he could continue to play the instrument he loves.
On his very first day in Lubbock. Karam learned that St. Elizabeth's was in need of a piano player, and so he contacted Tye.
"It kind of worked out perfectly," Karam said. "I guess it was destiny."
Tye admitted she was slightly nervous two years ago about the level of commitment Karam would have to her church. With his academic and athletic workload, it seemed to her a daunting schedule for a college student. But she quickly realized that Karam was a special gift to their choir.
"He was just a blessing for us," Tye said. "He has a gift for people, he has a gift in his relationships and his music ministry is an extreme gift. It's a gift from God. It really is."
Karam has played in four games this season where he is 8-of-16 passing for 61 yards and a touchdown.
But for him, his journey through college, academically, athletically and as a person has been one large learning experience.
"He has grown himself," Tye said. "He has become so much a part of this family."
That growth has allowed Karam to be on track to earn a Master's Degree by the time his football eligibility is complete at Tech.
"I just try to take advantage of every opportunity," Karam said. "Time management is a great skill to have."
And so each Sunday, Karam will be with his second family at St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church as he sits at his piano. It's the place he found by fate, and the place that no matter what may happen in his life, he can just be Jacob--the role model, the quarterback and yes, the pianist.
"It's just an emotional thing," Karam said. "Music to me is very close to my heart. I love being able to express myself through music. Once you learn more about music and how to play different types of music and different songs, you learn how to express yourself and what you like and you learn more about yourself."
