SH1P HAPPENS: Clemson running back giving back to children's hospital

Shipley says his head coach wants the players to succeed as much off the field as on it.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Dec 01 14:00:07 GMT-04:00 2021

Some college football fans have blamed the lackluster play of teams and players across the country on the NIL – Name/Image/Likeness third-party compensation – and the fact that players can now profit from their notoriety. One Clemson player is making sure that his proceeds go to help children in need.

Freshman running back Will Shipley has made a splash on the football field this season, leading the team in rushing attempts (110), yards (678) and touchdowns (10). After his two touchdown performance against Florida State earlier this season, Shipley received a phone call from head coach Dabo Swinney with a marketing idea – t-shirts that say, “SH1P HAPPENS.” The "1" in the first word is a nod to Shipley’s number on his jersey.

“He called me the morning of the Florida State game, it was around midnight, and kind of out of nowhere I looked at my phone and it was Coach Swinney. I picked it up and he kind of told me about the idea and everything and then went on the radio the next day and put it out there,” said Shipley. “I saw it and I said I had to make something happen before someone else does. I got with my rep and tried to make it happen as quick as I possibly could. All credit goes to Coach Swinney and his friend that came up with the idea for that one.”

The merchandise, available at the Clemson Tigertown Graphics store or online, will donate a portion of all sales to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, near Shipley’s hometown of Weddington, North Carolina.

“That was one of the things that I told my rep I wanted to do, was give back to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte,” Shipley said. “I have a lot of ties there and know a bunch of people. I just want to help them out in any way I can, even if it's not that big of a donation. Every donation helps. Every little difference I can make there is what I want to do, and they were the first ones that came to mind. It means a lot and makes it a lot better for me to know that it is going to a good cause.”

Shipley said that Swinney’s idea shows that the Tigers’ head coach isn’t against his players making money on the side.

“Everybody has this mindset that Coach Swinney doesn't want his players to make money, but I am sitting here as a prime example,” Shipley said. “He wants his players outside of football to be as successful as they are on the football field. I think that is just a little token of Coach Swinney and what he has done for this program and how he's always thinking about his players. He is a great coach and a great marketing guy.”

How “SHIP HAPPENS” came to be ??

Go check out @playersclub_pod - my bro @D_Rench_’s podcast! https://t.co/ucbgbfnCcR
— Will Shipley (@willshipley2021) November 19, 2021

Proud to announce my collaboration with @TTGrafx for the new SH1P HAPPENS collection! Available in store or online! A portion of all sales goes to benefit Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, NC! Go get you one… or a couple?? pic.twitter.com/42J9kZPzHX
— Will Shipley (@willshipley2021) November 11, 2021