(if you look at this pic directly above wheatley #24 one of my kids is right in the middle of the pic how he got in there ill never know lol but there he is having the time of his life)
let me preface this with I am not writer, never have been, made a good enough grade in English in school to get out of school and not have to ever look back. that being said I wanted to write something up to give you guys an inside look at how my weekend went for the UNC game and try not to bore you to death at the same time so below will be my best attempt to do so. I'm going to write it more as a story/ run down of how the weekend went, the experience from my eyes and ill try and give you some insider hokie info along the way.
before I get started I want to give you guys some back info, I work the reg 8-5 shift as loan closer for a mortgage company during the day, coach high school football, and am in the process of building up a scouting service with a partner of mine (so hopefully I wont have to work the reg 8-5 anymore) which involves watching tons of kids film from all over north florida and south ga. it makes for some really long days and nights. Thursday oct 17th was no different, on Thursdays my highschool team has morning practice 6am-7:30am before school just walk through for Friday nights, follow that up by running straight to work and punching the clock for the man. Thursday night is usually my one free night a week (we have practice every other night) so I try and watch a little football and relax, my partner for my scouting service and I usually get together have a few beers and watch some film while half heartedly tunning into a snoozer of a game on NFL network or ESPN. Last week was no different except over the last couple weeks a TON of college coaches have been reaching out some looking to fill some holes at the last min of their 2020 class and some trying to get an early jump on some underclassmen as everyone is dropping midseason highlights right now so weve been hard at work, Thursday night was catch up night for us. We were up till about midnight when I decided I needed to get home and get some rest, I probably laid my head on the pillow around 1am Friday morning. Friday was a big day, its usually our busiest day at work and the last few months the mortgage market has been booming, ive been working some long hours. My highschool team, whos ranked #8 in the power polls for the region (although we are getting treated like UCF because we have defeated 2 other teams in the top 10 one being the #4 team and our only loss coming to the heath shuler coached and navy shuler 3* app st commit lead Christ school in achville NC in week 2) was gearing up for a Friday night show down coming in at 6-1 and playing against a Baldwin football team that was ahead of us in the power polls and sitting at 7-1 lead by 3* wr Xavier McGriff FIU commit former VT recruit. I'm plugging away at work trying to get everything done so I can get out the door at 5, we take the field at 6 for warmups. I have a reservation for a 15 passenger van with enterprise so I run over there getting there about 5:15. Fill out all my paperwork get everything done, doing my walk around all that good stuff and the employee tells me "this van has a recall on it we cant rent it to you, we have no other vans on the lot but our driver will be back soon and he has a van" what choice do I have at this point but to wait for him. well soon turns into 30 min and by the time the guy got there with the van I was in a panic watching every min drop off the clock. I take the van and bolt! I'm out! headed to University Christian so I can change and get ready for the game.
Friday night lights! got to love them! 7:30 kick off, we pulled out a big win 41-31 and improve our record to 7-1 and move to #1 in the RPI for the state in 1-3a as foundation academy who was previously #1 lost on the night as well. game ends around 10ish ive got a couple kids from UC that I'm taking with me up to VT, they shower up in the locker room after the game Ive got a couple kids meeting me at the school for the trip and ive got a couple kids meeting me at my house, a couple kids I have to pick up. About half way through running around getting everyone picked up I realize this van that they gave me isn't going to fit 14 kids. because its a 12 passenger van, I run to the airport switch the vans out for my original reservation, and get back to getting all these kids gathered up. by the time we got on the road from jacksonville florida headed to orangeburg south Carolina (about 3.5 hours) it was 1am. If you've ever met a high school kid there is 2 things that never fail. 1 they are ALWAYS hungry and will eat you out of house and home. we hit a McDs on the way (about the only thing open this late, sure could have used some of those hardies coupons guys!) and they are the slowestttttt ive ever been too, although I'm sure it doesn't help when 14 kids order a total of 20 double cheese, 10 mcchickens, 12 milkshakes, 14 fries, and 8 fruit punches lol. the 2nd thing is you cannot stop at a gas station just for gas and a quick pee. gas station stops are an ordeal, its best to lock them in the car lol. they buy every snack imaginable, why??? I have no clue, didn't you just eat 7 double cheeses and now you need a bag of sour gummy worms, 3 bags of chips, and 4 gatorades later and another 30 min stop, got us into orangeburg around 5am where we stayed at a hunting lodge of one of my buddies that could accommodate us all. obviously originally the plan was to get there around 2am not 5am lol. I let the boys get about 2 hours of sleep as I told them 7am wake up call, its about 4.5 hours to Blacksburg from orangeburg and recruit check in was 1pm. I wanted to try and get their a little earlier so I could show the kids around a little and let them see more than just lane stadium and the practice facility. we hit the road around 8 after them struggling to get up, I was running on about an hour of sleep.
7am about to get on the road to Blacksburg from orangeburg SC. don't these guys look excited!
NOON! my buddy daryl dungee (some of you may know him) and the ashby family invited us over to their tailgate near center street so we roll up on them and they pulled out the spreadddddd! I love the way hokie nation opens up their arms to everyone. its a lot to ask for to roll up on someone with 14 kids (see above about the way they eat) the kids hung out and ate good! I mean the ashby family really hooked it up! they had the grill going good with BBQ chicken of course everyones got the bo'jangles spread and plenty of other food. The kids ate and talked football with the the ashbys for a little bit before we headed out toward the lane for check in. on the walk the kids caught center street and the party that is and wanted to check it out. we headed over there and walked around for a bit, I think its important that the kids get to see all aspects of VT and what the college life is like aside from just football. obviously its a little bit of a crap show by then when you get a bunch of college kids drinking all day and unleash them in a big mosh pit. but the croots interacted with some of the folks over there and had a pretty good time just kinda soaking it all in and people watching. we hung out for a bit and headed out.
now for the meat of the weekend! the part everyones been waiting for. unfortunately I don't have any real insider info or great stories to tell you here. I wish I did. we arrived at check in for recruits/prospects they take all the kids measurements, (they do this everytime they step on campus) we go hang out at the indoor practice facility. all the coaches are dressed in their sundays finest and making the rounds talking to all the kids and parents respectively. mission BBG is catered and the kids who just cleaned out the ashbys tailgate are now cleaning out the indoor. where do they put it?!?!?!!? shesh. they have cornhole, basketball, ladder ball, etc, and other tailgating games set up, projector screens set up with the other games around the county on, a photo opp back ground and the hokiestone jerseys out for pics, a couple tables set up for academic qualification information and things like that. I spent most of my time talking with coach wiles, coach Hamilton, and jack tyler, we really didn't talk about anything to much I kinda one by one filled the kids in to make sure they all got time with the coaches, some just meeting them for the first time and some regulars or guys that they have been in contact with. Jack Tyler is a guy that does a great job bridging the gap for us, hes really friendly and outgoing and his roll in recuiting cant be understated atleast on game days. the coaches have ALOT to do and ALOT of recruits on hand to get around too, don't want anyone coming back saying "so and so didn't talk to me" we all know how that goes. I personally really enjoy talking to jack I don't pry for info but hes by far the most forth coming lol. Ive been nudging to find out anything I can on the new DC but no one is budging. Jack said they are working on it though and that they don't want to implement major changes to a defense that's worked so good for so long. what that means who knows.
pregame pic by 247sports
Around 230 (or an hour before game time) they usher all the kids out to the field for pregame. this is one of the best parts of the experience, as lane starts to fill up they walk down the tunnel that so many greats before them have walked through and the butterflies start to build, maybe its just in me because I know what it means, but I can see the excitement start to build on the kids as well, they stop and see what names they can recognize on the name plates in the tunnel, they ALL smack the hokie stone rock above the tunnel before the walk out. its a moment when all these kids are really trying to be cool and act cool but that hokie stone gets them everytime. they turn into a 7 year old hokie fan kid. don't worry it gets me too. lol. pre game on the field is a unique experience, most of the kids spending it pointing out the size of certain guys, they are all in awe of how HUGE devine diablo is and looks on the field, and how small some other guys are like tayvion Robinson. comments like shesh I wouldn't wanna go across the middle on that guy or I'm the same size as that guy (yeah but can you run a 4.45) often get echoed. besides that its a chance for the kids to get some pictures snapped of them, camera after camera walks by and snaps pics and you know todays social media kids love that stuff. For me personally as a coach, I try and watch jafar williams as much as possible and his pregame rituals and how he goes through warm ups and coaches guys up and things like that. it really is surreal seeing it up close.
tyree sanders
15 min before kick off they usher us up into the stands and to our seats, tyree tried to sneak away and get in on the enter sandman line. security wasn't having it lol. being a long time hokie myself and seeing and being a part of enter the sandman many of times from many different parts of the stadium, I really don't think the recruits get the full experience of it. I think maybe its because they are surrounded by recruits and the recruits aren't "losing their freaking minds" so the immediate ear noise and jumping isn't right on top of you and all around you in close quarters. regardless I have never heard any of these kids be anything but nostalgic by the entrance and as expected all walk away talking about it.
Kickoff! we all know how we started out, and ill be the first to admit in my head I'm thinking awe man here we go duke all over again and if we get blown out its not a good experience for anyone. ye of little faith we turned it up and started playing some dang hokie football again. all the kids were really into the game, I mean listen, I try and be as professional and poised as possible on these trips but the fan comes out! but I wasn't alone as the kids were just as into it as me. I cant tell you how good that makes me feel about hokie nation and about the way these kids feel about hokie nation. some of these kids have been on a lot of visits to different schools and a lot of different atmospheres but to see them yelling on third downs at the top of their lungs for an entire game and coming fans of VT is HUGE for me. I absolutely LOVE it. it shows that they are whether they know it or not investing their heart into Virginia tech. You couldn't ask for a better game to be at from a recruiting stand point. thank you hokie nation for that and thank you hokie football for that. one thing that stood out to me is a lot of the kids with me where saying "coach we are storming the field if we win they cant stop up" I had to tell them, look kids 2 things lol. 1 "we don't storm the field when we beat UNC that's not an upset we always beat them they are like UVAs little brother" and 2 "were recruits lol we can go on the field after the game and they wont stop us we don't have to jump the wall there is a gate right there". after the QP for 2 and the win run we went down and got on the field. the emotion that was on the field from everyone was unbelievable. jham almost killed me running around hugging anyone in sight, the sound of you guys! singing exit light. it was absolutely freaking an amazing experience. in the moment you are so hype and excited its hard to soak it all in but man, speechless. it took a lot to come down from that and the next few min were kind of a blur to be honest. Just so caught up in the emotion and win you lose track of everything else.
9 different highschools from 904 all in one picture
on field post game video I took. a little wild. was pretty freaking excited haha
The calm after the storm..... post game somewhere between the final whistle of the game and hanging out by the locker room there is a lost gap of time. I'm not sure what happened but that lost gap was maybe the best 15-30 min ive ever experienced. We hung out at the locker rooms waiting on chamarri conner to change as we had plans to get up with him after the game and all hang out for a little bit, (and by hangout I mean let the guys party while I sleep in the van for bit) again its just one of those things, I think its just as important for the kids to get a feel for the Virginia tech life off the football field as much as on, so I give them a little freedom to hang out and do somethings, I know chamarri personally and he takes good care of them and keeps an eye on them I'm obviously not letting the kids drink or anything like that on the trip but I do want them to see first hand all aspects of VT. While we were waiting on chamarri coach wiles spent a good bit of time talking to us all just kinda letting us know when hed be down to jacksonville again, when he wanted us to get back up, talking about how the kids seasons were going and letting them know he would be checking in on them, and just chopping it up. its fun to have a great relationship with these coaches but I think a lot of times people expect you to report back with "coach wiles told me the new DC is torian grey and we are starting QP next week and whit said we are bringing back the hokie pokie in the 3rd quarter and president sands has no banned all paper products from lane stadium in an attempt to stop the paper airplane madness while also installing wireless modems to every seat in the stadium so we all have our own personal wifi access" but a lot of the times the convos are just good conversation and continuing to build those relationships and you don't get a ton of insider info. every once In a while you will but I never push for it because the relationship to me is more important that info, that's the reporters job ya know.
LONGGG NIGHT! After we left the stadium chamarri told us he had to go grab some grub and change clothes and everything and hed hit us up in a few. You know what that means to these boys? GRUBBB time!! again lol, we ran over to the IHOP in Christiansburg and grabbed some food and ate until heading over to a house party off main st. I went inside with the kids just to survey the scene make sure nothing crazy was going on or anything I didn't want them being involved in, it wasn't a real busy party looked more like a gathering. QP was there. you know doing what super bowl MVPs do. getting all the girls lol. sorry croots aint much hope for yall when you are at a party with a bunch of current VT football players and you are still in HS hate to break it to you. I let them all hang out for about an hour while I copped some Zs because running on 2 hours of sleep since Friday morning will get after ya and we had to drive back to orangeburg later that night. We hit the road headed back to orangeburg around 1am. getting us back to the cabin around 6/6:30 had a lot of rain on the way back so was trucking along at minimal speeds. when we hit OB we crashed hard. I let them sleep in some until around 11ish and then we headed back to jacksonville getting in around 3 and getting everyone home. As soon as I got home I turned on the reply of the game and got through about the tre turner TD before I was out like a light until Monday morning work alarm clock went off.
from a recruiting stand point I don't think you could have asked for anything better from Virginia tech, lane stadium, the coaches, the players, the fans, anyone involved. it was an amazing experience for the kids they all walked always VT football fans. tyree sanders went out of his way to talk and connect with other recruits at the game and has been talking to a lot of them since he got back. hes all in on VT and is hard on the recruiting trail for us. I knew he was in on VT but I think after last weekend he is ALL completely ALL in.
I'm coming up for the wake game but I'm just bringing my son, my GF, tyree, and keonta for that one. its a lot of work getting all these kids up there and a lot of responsibility, I need at least one game where I can relax and just enjoy being a hokie fan for a minute.
pitt game ill try and bring a group up though once I get with the coaches and see whod theyd like me to bring.
hopefully its not to long winded. it was an exciting experience for me and its hard to put it all into perspective what all went into it and how awesome it was. if you have any questions ill do my best to answer them. I appreciate all of you taking the time to read. I hope that the fact that I'm not an English major doesn't make it to difficult to navigate and that you all enjoyed.
Comments
if anyone can tell me how to embed a video?
Upload to YouTube. Google how to embed from YouTube. Copy entire embed code from YouTube and just paste it where you want in your post (joe doesn't have a button for it)
Jack Tyler is a guy that does a great job bridging the gap for us, hes really friendly and outgoing and his roll in recuiting cant be understand atleast on game days.
Thanks for sharing. I think the above is absolutely huge for recruiting.
Awesome write up...thanks for the insight. I live in Blacksburg and I am not sure if there is any way I could help or support you on your crazy trips but I'd be happy to try if there is ever anything you think would need.
Edit: Also who is the kid who got in the middle of the photo... that's awesome. Even if he doesn't become a Hokie I imagine he will always appreciate that memory.
orel gray hes a 9th grader class of 23 he hold offers from USF and Savannah st right now. He started as an 8th grader. corner/ safety. I showed VT coaches his film last weekend and they really liked it. he doesn't have a ton of film because not a lot of teams really try and throw on him. hes pretty lock down.
I need to help the kid with his HUDL but id encourage all hokies to check him out.
orel gray
Great read...really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!
Actually enjoyed this story. One question: how does the kids getting food from tailgates look in the eyes of the NCAA? I don't ask to be a narc because the NCAA can kick rocks but I'm just curious. This is a cool perspective that we don't get a lot of. Thanks for sharing!
Also, you're dead on about high schoolers eating. I've got plenty of memories of tennis trips and drum line excursions ending in mounds of food. I couldn't eat like that nowadays without vomiting haha.
As we learned from UNcheat as long as food is offered to everyone it's allowed.
Sad part is you're not kidding lol
VT actually charges for it. 5 bucks a head. (they are very lenient on the head count much like UNCheat is their test scores) so technically no NCAA infractions occur. if a kid sneaks past the security guard that shakes your hand at the door and says welcome to Virginia tech, hey theres nothing Virginia tech can do about that. its a buffet stlye line and only the mission people are even around the food making sure its full. id imagine if brock Hoffman came to a recruiting event though the NCAA would be right there counting to make sure he did not eat a cent more than his 5 dollar allotment.
You're absolutely the right guy for this job.
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this writeup. Well done, all around.
Amazing write up 904! We appreciate all the info and the inside look at a recruiting trip. Awesome to hear it was such a rewarding experience for the recruits. What a game to take a visit!
The only response I can think of.
My dude - Excellent insight. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for putting this together.
Really hoping Jack is a guy we can keep around for a long time. He lives and breathes Tech Football. Really personal guy so i'm sure recruiting comes naturally and he is a great connection for NOVA prospects. Great football mind too so long term i think he'll have a great coaching career.
Jack is a great dude. Couldn't be better. It always freaks me out that I can almost look him in the eye- I'm 5'08... and he had 100 tackles in the ACC. It's surreal - he does not look like a beast LB in person now! Love me some Jack- quality dude.
He is a great guy. I actually had dinner with him at Sharkeys after I proposed to my now wife.
Ditched your new Fiance to have dinner with Jack Tyler? Bold move. I like it.
Unfortunately she was there too. She is now married to him as well.
So are we all.
Maybe I should not ask; but who pays for these trips? Is Tech allowed to subsidize your costs? Or do you have to pay for this yourself?
English majors are overrated. You tell a great story. Kept my attention all the way through. Only thing you needed was a commit at the end to make it perfect.
Thanks for all the effort you put in to giving these kids a great experience.
I pay. depending on how many kids we have with us etc i ask for a little bit of money from them. i got 20 bucks from each kid on this one. that covered the van rental for the weekend. honestly id be making the trip anyways, so it coming out of my pocket isn't a big deal and its a small price to pay to for something i love so much. theres not a price you can put on some of these opportunities and connections and the smile on the kids faces.
while we didn't get any commits, i can tell you we got A LOT closer to flipping current FSU commit derek Bermudez 3* from sandalwood 2020 kid who came with us, had a blast and with the turmoil willie is going through down there the coach staff really worked on him over the weekend and talked to Hamilton last night and they are talking daily now.
also chris Johnson 3* listed as TE on 247 but we are recruiting him as a stand up end/OLB and TE class of 21 teammate of keonta Jenkins is really close to committing. hes kinda waiting to see what happens with Bud and whos next and VT hasn't really commited to if they want him on O or D yet. he needs to get up for more than a game day so they can sit down with him and talk to him. its on the agenda.
VT also close to offering some younger guys but one thing VT is really big on is unless you are a complete STUD or someone close by that they can get to a game and see you play a couple times they want you to come up for a camp so they can see you work out in person. they told pretty much all the kids i had with they would receive invites for the camps and they need to attend VTs satellite camp in jacksonville over the summer. its imperative for the younger guys to get to the camps. the good news is they got a jump and coaches will have an eye on them because of the relationship they are building.
This is awesome. Great insight. Fantastic piece. Thank you!
Thank you for the write up and thank you for what you're doing for these (and other) kids. I'm certain that you spend just as much time with players who aren't going to play past high school.....and will remember you for the rest of their lives.
Your experience is just what I hoped it would be.
oh yeah. i live for it. taking a group of kids up to savannah st this weekend for their home coming. (thank god for bye weeks) some of the guys that i know would never have a shot at VT. i love VT and love the opportunity ive been blessed with but i love these kids just as much. a lot of these kids i just meet for the first time besides a hand shake after a game or a quick hows it going at game and then i spend a weekend with them and they are some of the best kids ive ever been around. a lot of them not coming from great areas but they are respectful, great young men and I'm extremely thankful to get to give them some opportunities and experiences in life they may not have gotten or ever get again.
Whether for VT or not, the work you're doing to help these kids is admirable. Thank you and bless you.
Wow, thanks for sharing. I wish they could have somehow coordinated the 99 team with this recruiting weekend and homecoming. Only thing better than talking to Jack Tyler would be having recruits talk to those guys.
Can you translate this level of commitment to a percentage value? Otherwise I don't know how to feel about it.
I think the answer is 100%.
Anytime you go above 100%, you're no longer 100% which mathematically means you're no longer fully committed.
cam'ron kelly % commitment
I dunno, you could read that as the next guy won't significantly differ from the Foster style.
I think it's Bud Foster's long-lost twin brother, Bob. He's got all of the same instincts, mannerisms, and strategy as Bud. In fact, he prefers to go by "Bud" to keep things easy.
It would be like the Chiefs hiring Randy Reid.... Quality guy!!
Wow, what a story. First of all, you're a saint for doing so much for these kids, I hope they and their families recognize all the work you do. Second, thanks for this amazing insight. Given that most of us were never recruited for college sports, it's really interesting to see how different their experience is from the standard college touring process.
Can't not talk about this... I interpret that as meaning they want to (1) keep the same gap fit scheme that Foster used, (which as I, as someone completely uneducated about football, understand is quite unique?) and (2) aggressive secondary. I'm going to take a huge guess that we're considering Torrian, one of Clemson's secondary coaches (I've read here that their DB's play similar to ours), and/or some combination of former Foster coaches/players...
Definitely hints to me that they would like Torrian. I'm not opposed to it at all. It would make for an easier transition to the new defense as opposed to a complete schematic overhaul, AND it doesn't mean he wouldn't bring his own ideas and tweaks to the defense. His time with the Redskins and Florida has exposed him to different defensive schemes with different types of personnel. He might run Bud's gap fit from a more hybrid front utilizing more stand up edge defenders like you see at Florida, or larger interior DL like he has at Florida or with the Redskins. Total speculation there, but it makes enough sense to be reasonable.
You are doing the Lord's work! Hokie Nation thanks you! All those kids wanting to eat five min after eating...
This is why I TKP.
Excellent perspective and story!
Awesome write-up, thanks!!
what's the school you coach? Santa Fe?
Great insight into everything...the hardwork you put in along with the driving and all the arrangements is superb. I hope you are greatly rewarded with a position on the Hokies Coaching staff (maybe next DC)
university christian HS
haha man thatd be nice! I'm not a defensive guy anyways though. plus i heard we need more "support staff" I'm pretty sure they could start me out somewhere there that would be nice. I'm working on a Dwayne Lawson type deal.... hey VT you want so and so you gotta hire me too.
Thanks for the write up. I recall when I was coaching soccer I was driving kids all day on weekends. You are really going above and beyond.
Well if it is support staff, then I'll take support staff. The 904 connection seems to be doing well for us, Isiah Ford, CHAMARRI CONNER, also Caleb Steward from that area, sure he will get his chance next year, Keshawn King is also from Orange park, and I'm probably forgetting a bunch of others.
I like us getting more from the Florida recruiting, one of the first people I met on campus in 1995 was Torian Gray at my student orientation a genuine guy, and I think some of those classes between 95-2000 had a bunch of Florida players. Lets start the FLA2VT movement while we continue the NC2VT, hopefully we can also have the VA2VT movement too..
904 excellent write-up and enjoyed reading all of it. only thing that surpasses it is your energy and enthusiasm level. hokie nation thanks you. wish you the best in building up your scouting service.
You said it so I'm taking this all as gospel.
1. Awesome write up.
2. I'd be great if you could gather a bunch of 2* guys for a trip to UNC, see what kind of spread Mack is getting from the K&W for the recruits. Maybe we can steal the mashed potato recipe that seems to be the real closer for them.
Wow. Thanks for that. We're so lucky to have 904 giving us this inside perspective....almost as lucky as these kids are to have him as a mentor. Thank you sir!
Thanks for the article. Great trip
Really enjoyed the writeup, thanks 904.
I'm exhausted just looking at that sleep schedule.
Wow this was awesome. Thanks for the story/writeup, it sounded like an exhausting yet extremely satisfying and rewarding trip. Would love to be in your shoes myself doing that type of thing.... minus the 8-5 gig.
I think it's really great for us to have some "boots on the ground" so to speak with having a former Hokie in recruiting hotbeds constantly getting in kids ears about VT. Wonder if this is something that all of the blue bloods have in place all over the country. Alumni or fans of the school who also coach so they can essentially have constant contact and exposure with recruits
i know Alabama does, i know a guy that lives in Tallahassee and he takes kids to bama all the time. same kind of deal we talk every now and then, he coaches at a boarding school in Tallahassee that houses the kids and a kid i coached for a long time that is now in highschool is easily a d1 P5 DB soph in HS but hes a troubled kid. we were trying to work something out to get him out there so he could play for him and get away from home and the environment he lives in but his mom wouldn't sign the paper work required even though it would have been a great opportunity for her son.
Thank you for doing the lords work, great write up!
I think my tailgate got a picture with all you guys after the game in Lot 1 while we were waiting for the traffic to die down. It looked like they were having a blast. Thanks for bringing them up. They all seemed like great kids for the 5 minutes we interacted haha.
hahaha yessssirrrr!!! they did!!! they were the ones running around acting like they were starving after eating literally all day! hahahahaha. thanks for the hospitality and allowing us to hang for a little bit and crash your afterparty!
This is amazing. Is there anything we can do as Hokies to help? I am not sure what rules there are for donors to help people like you get recruits to tech, but I feel like this is one of the things we should be investing in. Would love to buy the kids a few Benny's pizzas or some carol Lee donoughts when they come. I own Main Street Pharmacy in downtown Blacksburg. Stop in any time, though you will not see me there on game days.
Nope. Not really.
http://www.ncaa.org/enforcement/role-boosters
And from our school (specific link there for local businesses since you have one):
https://hokiesports.com/sports/2018/9/28/fans-and-boosters.aspx?id=313
They are no fun
I believe he did mention Hardee's Coupons.......
thatd be awesome! i don't know the rules. but I'm not a booster. I don't get anything from monetarily from VT and from all accounts I'm just their 7on7/ highschool coach helping them out. i don't think I'm breaking any rules. i know these guys would never turn down pizza or any food for that matter. who knows. i really appreciate the offer though. there is no hospitality like hokie hospitality. who knows maybe we can set something up and i can get everyone by lot 17 one day or something like that.
There would definitely be issues. I know boosters at another school that are only allowed like 1 meal provided per semester for people already on the team and it's very limited to how much they can provide in the meal.
Appreciate your words Smithey and whether or not they always say it, those kids and families appreciate all you do for them.
Great writeup and thanks for the work you do! I've got a funny story about the article picture: one of my buddies takes photos for VT on gamedays and accidentally started that player moshpit photo op haha. He was videoing Zion Debose dancing with his GoPro and taking pictures with his camera and suddenly everyone dove in around Zion and this group photo happened
I don't know how you did it on a few hours of sleep. I'd be laying in a ditch somewhere.
You really are doing the lords work. Appreciate your hard work and dedication, those guys will always remember these trips.
Dude... What you are doing is beyond expression awesome. Can't help but be a little jealous. Thanks for all the dedication, hard work and time you are investing in VT and those young men's lives. Bravo!
Thanks so much for the info! But thanks even more for what you do as a "second job/community service"! I work with high school football players here in the Valley, but not quite at the same level as some of the things you are doing. It's very taxing, but very rewarding at the same time.
Your "labor of love" is most definitely reaching way beyond the football field!