Sincere Dilemma

[PigSkin Junkie]

If your kid plays solid high school ball but are seriously on the short side (may reach 5'8") AND they have a lot going for them academically with very specific career goals, would you bother to encourage them to pursue football any further? If they were pretty much a lock for a full ride academically to a great school, and their only shot at football (I'm assuming) is something D3ish, would you take coach calls, answer emails, etc. that express interest in them? If you've told them all their lives they probably couldn't play decent high school ball and they proved you waaaay wrong, but are prepared to move on with their lives in college/career etc. - do you spend the time investigating their major/career objectives at a school that may let them play some ball but won't be as prestigious as the one they already have thier eyes on??

[Cats3x]

Couldn't you solve this by sending some tape and going to camps at the private, NAIA schools in state? If they can get a full academic ride, would Centre be a possible destination for both football and academics?

[PigSkin Junkie]

The academic schools are like UW-Madison, Ohio State, Marquette where their career goals of engineering would be very well served. They have put just as much work into school as they have their sport and I don't want to sidetrack them at this point (Class of 2016). Other than D1 schools in KY, which are clearly out of reach for football, I don't think any stack up academically compared to what they will be offered out of state. It's a waste of A LOT of KEES money which if the scholly is what we're expecting is a moot point anyway.

[GreyFox]

Some of the best colleges academically are DIII schools. There is no reason they can't get a full ride academically and still play football.

[Bisons66]

I am not sure what the issue is. Apparently they are succeeding doing both right now. Let them finish out their high school years enjoying every moment.

[coach1980]

I would allow him to move forward with football, if you can find a good D3 school to accept him academically with a scholarship. If he enjoys the game and grades and education is being met ... Live life and make memories and enjoy it while you do !!!

[ChiefSmoke]

My son will graduate this spring and attend Centre this fall. He was a very good football player, but even better student. Due to the severity of his two concussions, he will not play football.

 

I took him to camps to get better as HS player for the 1st 3 years (UK- Chuck Smith; Tennessee-Sal Sunseri; Notre Dame- Bob Diaco) to work with GREAT Linebacker coaches, in addition to the great coaching he got at home with Larry Harris and Chris Ullery.

 

As a senior, he was invited for unofficial visits to Kent State & Princeton. We went to both.

 

He also visited Centre in the spring of his senior year for their spring game and loved it. At that point, he really thought Centre was his best fit, but he also really liked Princeton & Coach Thomas, the LB coach who was recruiting him.

 

He went to camp at Yale & Princeton in the summer. He performed well enough to get attention from the other schools there, but not well enough to get an offer from Yale & Princeton.

 

We only went for visits or camps that expressed significant interest in him. And, I felt like it was my job as his dad to present all the options and information I possibly could. I thought there was a good chance that at the end of the process, he would prefer Centre. But, I didn't want him to look at me at 30 and say " I wonder what Princeton would have been like?", etc. The entire time, I knew I would struggle with him moving so far from home, but I also knew that could not be a factor. I think he made the right choice. And, he is certain he made the right choice BECAUSE he did look at some other options.

 

As a dad, you present to him all the information you can. Tell him what you honestly think. If he wants to go play football, let him. If not, that is ok. To me, if you could extend football for four more years, and have fun playing football, I would do it.

 

Being a strong student, he has sacrificed some things so he could play football. He did not pursue Governor's Scholars so he could do those camps and be at home to help his team/improve as a player in the summer. For him, that was the right decision and I backed him 100%. Don't underestimate the value and experience of playing football. I believe he is a much better person , tougher, etc. because of his experiences in football, as opposed to spending his entire life devoted to academics.

 

Give your son as much information as possible, get him to camps, then let him figure out what he wants to do. :thumb:

[GreyFox]

Something else to consider is that your sons can still attend a DIII undergraduate school and play football while taking their core classes for their engineering degree and then transfer to their graduate school to complete their degree.

[BigVMan23]

So, is the dilemma that HE doesn't want to give up football, or that YOU don't want him to give it up? From what I can glean from your post, seems to me you are the one who has the issue of you son possibly not playing football beyond high school. If that's the case, I'd say you need to let it go and let him concentrate on school and academics, which it seems he is very good at.

[leatherneck]

Centre has a program in place with several engineering schools. Attend first 3 years at Centre and then attend two years with the affiliated engineering schools. When complete your son would have 2 degrees. Since I represent several engineering firms I can say this with extreme confidence: the 3 years spent at Centre would make him a much more complete and well rounded business person and engineer. See: Centre College | Engineering - Centre College

[thehotsnakes]

You do whatever he wants to do. It's really really simple to me.

 

If he wants to play somewhere and gets the chance to, he goes there. If he wants to go somewhere and not play, he goes there. Not trying to be rude or mean, but your say in the matter should have little bearing on the issue.

[Bengal Maniac]

As stated let him explore all options. If $$ is not an issue, then him deciding what will make it most meaningful for him, football or not. Of course finances and academics played into the decisions, some had lots of scholarship opportunities, others not much. With all my kids we made the list of what they wanted to do, researched schools that might fit best, prioritzed the list, got in the car and spent Spring Break visiting and asking the questions, meeting with the school officials and students (let him spend time alone with them, it's important). In every case they made the best choice for them. They had to feel comfortable not their mom or me.

 

In a couple of cases I thought another school that they did not choose would be best, but they made the decision and not one of them has one ounce of regret. Therefore, it was the right choice. These were great times, for me and the kids because we really got to spend time together and use decision making processes that would help them in life after college.

 

Good luck!

[Mustang75]

Sounds like a very smart kid. This will take him much further in life than playing football. Take the best school he can get into for free. Unless money isn't an issue. Like many have said why can't he play D3 ball. Lots of small school with very good educations. Find a d3 with theme program he likes and talk to the football coach. I'm sure you can email him call him. lots of D3 have 140 + kids on roster some have JV teams.

[cathbird]

Learn how to long snap. That can open up some doors.

[Fear the Nation]

Sounds like a very smart kid. This will take him much further in life than playing football. Take the best school he can get into for free. Unless money isn't an issue. Like many have said why can't he play D3 ball. Lots of small school with very good educations. Find a d3 with theme program he likes and talk to the football coach. I'm sure you can email him call him. lots of D3 have 140 + kids on roster some have JV teams.

 

You will have also find many DII programs that you can walk on also..They also schedule JV games..