Memorial Service Held for 'Coach's Dream' Sean Matti, Former Roseville High Football Star

Before the start of Sean Matti’s memorial service Sunday evening, his friends and family stretched half way across the Roseville high school football field where Matti won all-state honors as a running back and inside linebacker, queuing up to look at Matti’s trophies, uniforms, and childhood photos.

The body of Matti, a 2007 Roseville High School graduate and Purdue football player, was recovered Tuesday morning near Lake Freeman, Indiana, after he had been reported missing a week ago, according to news reports.

In speeches by coaches and friends given from the 46 yard line, Matti was remembered as a selfless and generous athlete, devoted to his friends and fond of practical jokes.

Matti’s friend Ben Johnson performed a song he wrote, called “22” in reference to the 22-year-old’s high school jersey number, for the about 400 people who attended the memorial service.

According to the Carroll County Sheriff's Department, Matti’s body was found floating in the water on Lake Freeman, WLFI TV reported. He had apparently been on the lake last weekend with friends, the TV station reported.

Chris Simdorn, Matti’s high school football coach, said he was retiring Matti’s uniform.

“As long as I’m the football coach, nobody will wear that 22 jersey here at Roseville again.”

Simdorn said Matti was an athlete with “unbelievable instincts” and “an MVP off the football field also.

“I had the opportunity of having Sean as one of our greatest players in Roseville history,” Simdorn said. “He was a coach’s dream.”

Mark Johnson coached Matti for more than six years when he was in elementary and middle school.

“He’d knock somebody down and tackle them, he’d run over somebody, but he was the first guy there to pick him up.” Johnson said. “He had a kind heart.”