Football Recruitment Night Brings In College Reps

High school football coaches from throughout the north and south suburbs met with more than 40 college representatives during College Football Recruitment Nights last week. Coaches from the northern suburbs attended an event in Grayslake, and coaches from the southern suburbs attended an event in Lemont.

Nicholas Goshe, football coach of Grayalske Central High School, said the May 4 event was a big success in terms of connecting the high school athletes with interested colleges. It was Grayslake's second year hosting the College Football Recruitment Night.

The two events attracted football coaches from the following high schools: Andrew, Aurora Central, Bolingbrook, Bremen, Elmwood Park, Grayslake Central, Grayslake North, Huntley, Lemont, Libertyville, LW East, LW Central, LW West, Lockport, Minooka, Montini, Mundelein, Oak Forest, Plain South, Richards, Ridgewood, Romeoville, Round Lake, Sandburg, TF North, Warren, West Chicago, Wheaton StF and Woodstock North.

In addition, Barrington, Cary Grove, Glenbard South and Vernon Hills supplied information on their top players.

Goshe said the coaches only event connected area high school coaches with college coaches.

"The advantages for high schools that are present is tremendous," Goshe said. "Relationships between their high school and colleges are made, networks are improved, student-athlete information is transferred and time is saved by all since it all occurs in one night."

Each high school football coach was asked to bring 100 copies of a list of players graduating in 2012. The information included academic and physical information such as height, weight, position, GPA, SAT or ACT scores, class rank, 40-yard speed, strength measurements and statistics from last year.

Between 40 and 50 colleges attended the event to scout the top high school players.

"The college coaches absolutely love this event," Goshe said. "It is a huge time-saver for them and a chance to build relationships that otherwise many times do not occur."

He said the connections have paid off in terms of Grayslake athletes getting recruited for college ball.

"This year, we should have anywhere from five to 10 kids playing in college from this past season’s senior class," Goshe said. "From our first year hosting the event, we had five kids go on to play college ball. For perspective…in the two years combined before hosting these events, we had a total of just three or four kids move on to college ball. As for next year….we’ll see. Senior seasons are very important."