By Allen Wright
The Chelsea High School football team has produced yet another great young athlete to commit to a Division 1 college as Junior Ronnie Buford announced earlier this spring that he was officially committed to Western Michigan University (WMU) to continue his football career.
He is the son of Willie Buford, and Shallis and Laura Mask.
A senior this fall, Buford committed to the Broncos as a defensive end, where he excelled for the 11-1 Bulldogs team in 2016. The 6-foot 4-inch Buford also excels on the basketball court where he and his Bulldog teammates won the Districts in their division last season.
Buford moved to Chelsea from Ann Arbor where he was the starting quarterback for Skyline, but he was moved to defensive end for the Bulldogs where they could take advantage of his size and speed.
“The decision was hard, yet easy. We went to many places but when we went to WMU I just knew I wanted to be a Bronco after the first unofficial visit,” he said. “As soon as I stepped foot on the Bronco’s football field, I just had this feeling that I had at no other visit! It was a confirmation feeling like I belonged there.”
“They treated me and my family so nice,” Ronnie said. “They were extremely good to my little brother and I could tell this was a great, solid family organization like Chelsea football is. And that’s what I’m all about, family.”
He plans to major in business and get a minor in civil engineering while enjoying all the community of Kalamazoo and WMU have to offer.
