Today was National Signing Day. That means high school athletes who have been recruited/encouraged to try competing at the college level decide what college they're going to attend. They usually sit at a table, surrounded by parents and high school coaches, and sign on the dotted line. Usually someone is there with a camera to record the moment, as well.
Here I'm the one with the camera. After covering these young athletes for four years, I'm always pleased to see some of them decide to try the next level.
Some won't succeed - that's just the nature of competition. The speed and intensity of college athletics will be too much for some of these kids, and that's OK. They will be able to tell their children and grandchildren that they gave it "the old college try."
But some will succeed because they're ready for the amped-up intensity and competition level. They will improve their skills in whatever sport they've chosen and will be able to contribute to their college teams.
Usually, local TV stations cover the big names who are moving on. Some kids make a big production out of their decision - sort of like LeBron James when he created a special program on ESPN before announcing he was leaving Cleveland and going to Miami. I don't think a Broadway show is necessary. The majority of those athletes don't live up to the hype and you never hear from them again. They had their 15 minutes of fame when they picked up a ball cap with their chosen school's logo on it.
Out here, these young athletes don't put on the big show. They just quietly sign their name, smile for the photographer and that's all there is to it. No TV, no drama.
This year, though, one of the local TV stations did come here to cover a trio of signings. Why? Because there was no school in Lincoln due to snow, wind and bitterly cold temperatures, so the LPS athletes weren't able to take the signing stage. There was no school in Seward, either, but these three kids wanted to sign anyway. We all congregated in the school library and watched as three Bluejays made their college choices official.
I'm excited for all three of these kids. I've watched them grow and develop since they were freshmen, and I hope to continue to follow their careers in college. It will be bittersweet to see their final high school competitions, but it's like that every May when the seasons end and I realize I'll never see some of these kids compete again.
There will be more signings as the weeks continue, and every one carries the same atmosphere of nervous excitement. But the excitement usually trumps the nervousness, and you can see it in the kids' eyes. Good luck to all of you!
