From his early days in Chelsea Pop Warner, Chelsea Little League, and the Chelsea Youth Basketball League, Shaquor Sandiford demonstrated exceptional athletic abilities. Yet beyond his accomplishments on the field, he sought mentorship and a supportive environment to grow as a person. The Jordan Boys and Girls Club in Chelsea, under the leadership of Josh Kraft and his staff, provided the guidance and foundation that Sandiford needed. On Saturday afternoon, the 16-year-old son of Sheanah McCarthy and the late Chris Sandiford took the field as the star junior quarterback for the Rivers School football team in a championship game at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. Though Rivers fell short in a close contest against Pingree, Sandiford reflected on the remarkable distance he had traveled—from Grove Street to Rivers, one of the nation’s most distinguished prep schools. “I’ve come a long way,” Sandiford stated. He expressed deep gratitude toward Josh Kraft, the former executive director of the Jordan Club, and the organization’s staff for their profound impact on his life. “I’ve been going to the Boys and Girls Club since I was seven years old,” he added. “Basically besides my parents, they taught me all the important things I needed to know to be a good person. A lot of people may know that I wasn’t the best kid, but Josh Kraft, Michelle Perez, and everybody there taught me right from wrong.” Much of Sandiford’s youth was spent at the Boys and Girls Club gymnasium. “At the club, John Montes helped me a lot because he had seen that I had potential in athletics and told me to pursue basketball,” he remembered. “The Boys and Girls Club was great to me. They showed me that I had the potential to be an athlete and a good person. My mother has also been there since Day 1, attending every game and every event. She’s been really influential.” Kraft has vivid recollections of young Sandiford arriving at the club and absorbing valuable life lessons for his future. “Shaquor really grew up at the club and learned to be more responsible and respectful and we’re glad to see him succeeding,” Kraft explained. “He’s developed into a great athlete and a great student, and more importantly a good person. I know he’ll be successful in the future.”
Sandiford’s football foundation was built through four seasons with Chelsea Pop Warner under coaches James Atkins and Jamie Delverde. He also competed in Little League under the direction of Joe Stutto and Ricardo Mercado. His high school career began at Malden Catholic, where he played wide receiver as a freshman before transferring to Rivers and reclassifying as a sophomore. During the 2009 season, he earned All-Independent School League honorable mention honors as a quarterback. The 2010 campaign marked his breakthrough year as Sandiford, alongside teammates including Taariq Allen (bound for Nebraska) and Benjamin Patrick, led Rivers to an undefeated 8-0 record and a championship game appearance at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. Sandiford acknowledged the Kraft family for enabling him and his teammates to experience something unforgettable. The Krafts, who maintain strong ties to Rivers through Josh Kraft’s alumni status, made it possible for the game to be held at Gillette Stadium after original plans called for Endicott College. “Playing at Gillette was amazing,” Sandiford remarked. “I wish we could have won the game, but it was still a great season.” At Monday’s awards banquet, Sandiford was named captain of the 2011 Rivers team. “I hope to lead the team as well as our captains did this year,” he said. “Seeing them work hard has inspired me.”
The 6-foot-3-inch, 192-pound athlete also competes in basketball for Rivers. His recruitment has drawn interest from Penn State, Princeton, Dartmouth, Harvard, Boston College, and Duke. “I’m really excited about the future,” Sandiford noted. “I’m enjoying my time at Rivers. It’s a really good school and the teachers and coaches help you a lot. It’s a family oriented school and I feel I’m being prepared well for college.”
