The summer after my junior year in high school is when my recruiting story begins. I grew up in Robinson, a small town in Southern Illinois. Ever since I could remember I loved to play sports. From the time I was three years old I attended my father’s college basketball practices where he was a coach at the Junior College level. This passion for sports continued throughout my life. In high school I played basketball, football and baseball. I was first recruited as a baseball prospect, but of the three sports I played baseball was my least favorite. It was an immediate decision that I was not going to play college baseball.
It wasn’t until the summer before my senior year that my basketball and football recruitment began to intensify. I was receiving letters, tickets and invitations to attend many athletic functions at colleges and universities. The further I got into the recruiting process, the more evident it became that I wanted to play football and basketball at the Division I level. As the son of a college basketball coach I knew that it was important to respond to as many letters as possible. My recruiting process went on throughout my senior year and was highlighted with offers and visits to colleges of every division.
After a very successful senior year where I garnished All-State honors as a football and basketball player and All-Conference honors as a baseball player, I was ready to make my decision. I felt my decision was very easy due to the fact that I was educated and very proactive in the recruiting process. I signed with Southern Illinois University in Carbondale to play football and basketball. I ended up only playing football at Southern, and it was one of the greatest times in my life. Even though I was fortunate enough to have the guidance of a college basketball coach, many of my friends would have greatly benefited from the services of NCSA. NCSA can make high school athlete’s dreams come true.