It is a sentiment that will be shared and celebrated across the nation today, nowhere more so than north Georgia, where a number of homegrown stars will take the next step.
Flowery Branch High football signees, from left, C.J. Curry (Oklahoma State), Casey Osborne (Delta State) and Kanler Coker (North Carolina) each signed Letters of Intent on Wednesday. / photo: Brian Oliver
As a coach, what has soothed my soul in even the littlest bit has been the players, said Simpson, who asked for a moment of silence before going on to commend those players headed to the next level. This is not the end. The challenge of this is to look at this is beginning. This is day one and this has created for you one of the greatest opportunities you can have in America.
This is really exciting; Ive been waiting all my life for this, said Johnson baseball standout Trae Wilson, who will attend Middle Georgia College. My biggest dream is to play in MLB (Major League Baseball), and this get me one step closer to that goal.
That couldnt stop the butterflies, however.
The morning brought to a close an astounding career for all players involved as part of a four-year class that played for four state championships, winning three (2008, 09 and 2010) and finishing with a 57-3 record.
This has to be the biggest day of my football career so r, said Gainesville football player Joseph Haley, who signed with Faulkner University. Going to play in college is what everyone talks about when they first start playing, and this gives me a chance to keep playing the sport I love... Its just huge.
For football players, National Signing Day takes on the kind of significance that few moments can match, as it is the first day of the year that seniors can make their collegiate choices official.
I had still been pretty disappointed about losing in the state quarterfinals to Tucker -- until today, said Flowery Branch football player Casey Osborne, who is headed to Delta State in Cleveland, Miss. But this is great. Ive really moved on now.
Its a little surreal, said Staub, a senior football player at Buford High, wtechnical schools georgiaho inked a Letter of Intent on Wednesday morning to the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. I guess it hasnt sunk in all the way yet. But Im very excited.
Were here today because were standing on the shoulders of giants, said Wolves head coach Jess Simpson. A lot of hard work has gone into this and the foundation for their success has been laid by a number of people.
It was a sentiment echoed throughout the day, as athletes from a number of sports celebrated National Signing Day -- even though a number had already signed their Letters of Intent at earlier dates (many sports allow an early-signing period).
Staub was one of 12 Wolves gridiron standouts to mark the occasion with the flourish of a pen, joining teammates Dequan Clark (Georgia Southern), Ryan Dillard (Yale), Paris Head (Vanderbilt), Robert Hill (Tennessee-Chattanooga), Andre Johnson (Coastal Carolina), Rick Legrant (UNC-Charlotte) and C.J. Moore (Virginia) in a ceremony attended by players, parents, coaches and media at the school. Four other Buford football players -- Vadal Alexander (LSU), Reid Ferguson (LSU), Kurt Freitag (Alabama) and Dillon Lee (Alabama) -- graduated a semester early and also signed on Wednesday, already entrenched on the campuses where they hope to spend the next four years competing at the highestNational Signing Day brings excitement, relief to area stars technical schools georgia level.
The coverage and scrutiny that goes into major college football recruiting has taken on levels almost as intense as game coverage itself -- with various outlets devoted specifically to the year-round efforts of college coaches to lure the best to their various programs. For them, and the athletes they cover, today is akin to the NFL draft. Yet even if 99 percent of those signing on today never reach those heights, this is a day that will live forever in their memories.
The opportunity to go to the next level and play is a privilege and an honor, said North Hall girls basketball senior Taylor Swoszowski, who will play basketball for Piedmont College in Demorest. To be able to sign and know your future is taken care of is humbling.
More than 35 area stars from seven different high schools soaked up the moment in front of friends, mily and other well-wishers, all eager to get their collegiate careers off to a start.
National Signing Day brings excitement, relief to area stars technical schools georgia,BUFORD -- Nathan Staub has known for weeks that this day was coming.
Also today, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes held their annual reception in Gainesville, honoring players from throughout the area that have earned scholarship offers.
Welcome to National Signing Day -- a momentous event in the lives of thousands of prep athletes, as they make their collegiate choices official. (Click hereto read the reflections of a number of area standouts on signing day, as well as a list of area signees).
It was also an emotional day for a program and school still coping with loss, as Simpson opened the ceremony by paying tribute to assistant coach Ryan Daniel, who passed away suddenly last week at the age of 30.
