Dan Culp
moved to Woodland Lakes, which is about 15 miles south of Sullivan on Highway 185 at about the age of 5, from where he
attended Bourbon Elementary School up to the conclusion of 5th Grade. While at Bourbon, he did rather well academically,
frequently earning straight A's, and also enjoyed athletic endeavors. He played in the Bourbon Ball League (T-Ball, Coach Pitch,
and Baseball), from the Summer after Kindergarten until the summer after his 8th Grade year, playing primarily 2nd Base, and
dabbling in Catcher and 1st Base late in his career. He led the league in hitting in his last season, which was 1997. He also
played 5th Grade basketball, astonishing all spectators with an electric 6-point effort in a Spring Bluff Tournament Game during
that season. His career free throw percentage stands at a respectable 100%.
Moving to Sullivan Middle School for 6th Grade, Dan was at first reluctant to get involved in the school's athletics. Though he
derived much enjoyment from playing all manner of sports on the playground and in P.E., he decided against trying his hand at
the school's hoops team. He once again excelled in the classroom, however, posting a near-perfect academic record at SMS.
During the summer prior to High School, Dan decided it was time to come out of his retirement from interscholastic activity.
He came out for football during his Freshman year. Although his start was inauspicious, only playing 4 total snaps in his first
two games, he recovered nicely after that, starting 5 of the remaining 6 games on defense, and playing every defensive snap
after the third quarter of 4th game at defensive tackle. He also started on the kickoff team and the punt return team. The
team's performance for the season was much less pleasant, finishing the year at 0-8.
Dan also went out for JV Baseball later that academic year, and despite a satisfying performance in tryouts, could not make
the team. His constant effort, however, coupled with years of prior experience as a freelance scorekeeper, gave him an
invitation to be the official scorekeeper for both Varsity and JV, where he never made a mistake, thank you very much. One
begins to suspect, in fact, that it was Dan's obvious skill at this task that prompted the coaching staff not to allow him to
perform outside of this post.
Dan went on to play 3 more years of football at the varsity and JV level, despite a career-threatening injury occurring late in
his junior year. In the latter part of the '99 season, Dan suffered 2 dislocations of the left shoulder in a single game, and then
another one in the game that followed. He missed three games after that, including Homecoming, while he was taking physical
therapy to strengthen the joint. He was given the green light to play in the district championship game against Borgia, but didn't
see action, and was available for the final two games as well, seeing some brief but impressive late-game action in the sectional
championship versus Montgomery County. He did not see action in the season finale against 3A juggernaut California.
Following the season, his dislocation problems worsened, to the point that he had to sit out Baseball season and have surgery
over the summer. At this time, Dan was told that he could never play football again by his doctor. God was apparently very
much in his corner, because after many prayers and "the best recovery" his doctor had ever seen, Dan was back on the field for
the final two games of his senior year, starting his last game against St. James. Never feeling quite secure enough with his
throwing arm, however, Dan's baseball career was effectively ended with his injury, and his sophomore season, in which he
played on JV, was the last action he ever saw in baseball. He was also promoted to Varsity, along with teammate Kyle Fuchs,
for the Columbia tournament during this season, but although active, neither ever saw the field during this time.
Sports were not Dan's only competitive high school activities, either. He was accomplished in both Scholar Bowl and Concert
Choir as well. In Scholar Bowl, it is safe to say that Dan was the 2nd Best player in the history of the program, serving as
co-captain, twice winning all-conference honors and making other all-tournament teams, as well as helping to lead his team to
the state tournament in 2001, where they finished 6th in the state.
As for Choir, Dan is one of a handful of singers ever to be in the Concert Choir for all four years. Though marginal at best as
a freshman, he improved his singing drastically by the time he graduated, earning all conference honors his senior year, as well
as being named the bass section leader. Also during his tenure with the choir, he was recognized for "Outstanding Dedication
to Choir" twice, "Most Improved Singer" once, and as an "Outstanding Member of Concert Choir" once. In addition, he served
as the Head Knight at the annual SHS Madrigal Dinner for four years.
Dan graduated with a 3.68 GPA from SHS, and although he realizes he could have done better, he received high honors at
graduation, was a member of the National Honor Society, and received several college scholarships. He greatly enjoyed his time
at SHS, especially the times he spent in the various activities mentioned here, and this is why he decided to create this site.
Dan's parents are Kevin Culp and Dottie Braun, both of Sullivan. He has two brothers, Adam Culp, a member of the SHS class
of 2004, as well as the wrestling and Scholar Bowl teams, and Zachary Braun, a diminutive little guy currently paying his dues
in the 2nd grade of St. Anthony Elementary School in Sullivan.
Dan can be reached by e-mailing dan@sullivaneagles.com.