Pain is a fact of life for a football player, and one that Rensselaer junior tight end Jon Branche has become all too familiar with. Since his freshman year, Branche has dealt with pain, mainly in his shoulder, after tearing part of his rotator cuff early in his Rensselaer career.

Doctors recommended surgery, but Branche, who is admittedly stubborn, refused. Instead, the Schenectady, N.Y., native opted to play through the nagging pain and posted impressive numbers in the process, hauling in 92 receptions for 1271 yards, 15 touchdowns, and an All-American Honorable Mention selection in his first two seasons.

“When it first happened I did not want to do have surgery because the recovery would be too long,” Branche said. “I didn’t want to miss a game.”

Even the determined Branche could not outlast the chronic aches forever, though, and decided to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in December of 2004, just weeks after the conclusion of the Engineers’ season.

For over a month Branche’s shoulder was immobilized in a sling. He had to dangle it like fish bait while showering and sleep upright in a chair at night.

“It sucked,” the management major with a concentration in management information systems and finance said of his first surgery and the subsequent recovery period.

Branche soon discovered that his difficulty showering and sleeping was minor compared to the physical and mental frustration he experienced during his exhaustive rehabilitation. The 6’4’’, 245-pound tight end realized the scars on his shoulder were the least of his concern as he dropped to 205 pounds after the operation.

“It was the worst,” Branche said of the countless pool workouts and light weight lifting he was forced to succumb to during rehab. “It is really tough when you are used to putting plate after plate on when you lift and then only being able to do the bar a couple times, especially when people are there watching you.”

Branche also missed his teammates, who were suffering intense spring workouts while Branche was in the pool.

“It was frustrating,” Branche said. “I wanted so much to be out there with them. They were working out so hard, and you just want to be sweating with them.”

By summer, Branche had started to see results from his laborious therapy. He was about 85 percent healthy and had regained much of his past strength. He was also leaner, quicker, and had rediscovered his passion for football.

“I certainly appreciate everything more,” Branche said. “You never realize how much you use your shoulder and I cannot wait to get back on the field.”

Waiting through 30 minutes of warm-ups prior to a game often drives Branche crazy, so the nine month layoff is causing him to go completely wild.

“I’m excited to see how everything is going to hold up,” Branche, who may also punt this season, said. “I’m confident about this season.”

Apparently D3Football.com is also convinced Branche will not be hampered by his offseason surgery as they named the junior to their preseason All-American First Team.

Such high preseason expectations excite the lighter, faster—and more importantly—healthier Branche, who is in the best shape of his career, according to new Offensive Coordinator Pat DelMonaco. Typically a reserved individual, Branche is not afraid to discuss what he expects from himself and his team this year.

“I want to be flawless,” Branche said. “I don’t care about numbers, I just want to dominate the guys across from me.”

Branche did set certain numerical goals for himself, but they differ greatly from those that appear in the box score. He doesn’t want to drop a pass, he doesn’t want to miss a block, and he wants to remain on the Dean’s List for another semester.

“I want to set goals that may seem ridiculous to everyone except me,” Branche said. “I want to be perfect and that pushes me to another level.”

Perfection is not just an individual, but also a team goal for Branche, who sees no reason why this team cannot go 13-0.

“I hate to lose.” Branch said. “It just sucks. It’s the worst feeling. We were spoiled our freshman year and now we have to find a way to get back to that level.”