The circus is coming to town, or should I say it’s arrived. National Signing Day 2012 is upon us and as the young men that will sign their letters of intent begin the next stage of their careers, we will remember them for the time being as who they WERE not who they haven’t become yet. It’s now on to Phase Two of the 8-yr business plan that was hopefully laid out 4 years ago at the beginning of Phase One. It’s now time to recognize the blood, sweat and most certainly tears that have been shed by parents and players alike. It’s time to send some young men off to college to continue fulfilling their dreams of playing football.
First stop on the tour de signage was Tampa Catholic. The Crusaders are only signing three at the present time. Leading off is Tyree Holder who was a 3-year starter for Tampa Catholic at DB/KR/PR that committed his services to Ball State University. The charismatic young man has visions of being on television one day and maybe not FOR football necessarily. “When I saw that David Letterman had committed over $40 million dollars to the School of Communications I just knew I’d gotten to the right place. Communications is what I want to do and they’ve got everything I wanted and then some.”
Holder was joined by WR Calvin Armatas (5-9, 185) who lined-up in the slot for the Crusaders this season and will do the same for the Stetson Hatters who will not play their first game until the fall of 2013 when they take part in the Pioneer Conference (FCS.) That’s okay for Armatas who is using the opportunity to get acquainted with the school and to take advantage of an extra year around towards achieving his Masters degree. “That was one of the biggest things that attracted me to Stetson, was the ability to have the year to get adjusted and to see how everything fit into place. It also gives me time to get into the weight room and get started on the workout plan Coach Hughes is putting together for us.”
The final commitment from TC saw OL/C Michael Scheerhorn ink his future with newly-minted Pioneer Conference foe Valparaiso. The 6-4, 250lb young man was told he might never play football again after having a procedure to remove what could have been a potentially deadly cancerous tumor. Scheerhorn bought his time, and stayed on with the program as a water boy at first and was able to persevere through the pain and uncertainty to make it to this special day.
“All my life I wanted to play for TC, and it didn’t matter what it took, I was going to play for Tampa Catholic.”
The three boys have all said they will keep in touch especially if Holder can get away when Stetson travels to Valparaiso. “Yeah, if I ever get bored, I know I’ve got friend s that will always be close.” Holder is joined in the Mid-American Conference by 8 other signees from Hillsborough and Pinellas. Scheerhorn is already looking forward to another meeting.
“I can’t wait to beat Stetson,” he says with a smile as Armatas looks on. Ah, the beginning of the next phase. There’s nothing like it. As one door closes, another opens.