Azu: Yesterday afternoon. Several West Bloomfield athletes had the opportunity to participate in National Signing Day as they move on to sign to their respective colleges.
It was a special day for athletes and their families as everything they worked so hard for over the years was recognized by Head Coach Hilbers and Athletic Director Eric Pierce.
Hilbers: For a lot of these guys, it’s years and I mean like 13, 14 years. 15 years of accumulation of their work. And it’s really just a way to get them recognized and acknowledged for all the good things that they’ve done in the school and on the football field. So, yeah, it’s a really exciting day.
Azu: All the athletes gave speeches about the people who helped them along the way to get where they are today. Jamir Benjamin was especially grateful for Coach Kason.
Benjamin: To Coach Kason. Where is Coach Kason. I wrote this message for you because, you know you got a first piece of heart. So Coach Kason, you impacted me greatly on and off the field. You taught me lessons about being a man, the greatness of football, and I thank you.
Azu: This signing day symbolizes the completion of all their hard work during their school years, finalizing their high school football career as they move on to play college football.
Johnson: Signing day mean a lot to me, really looking for a better life for you right now. But it feels good to put pen to paper and finally finalize everything.
Azu: UCLA University, Colorado, Penn State and Rutgers were all represented at yesterday’s event.
There are many reasons athletes chose the colleges they did, but one continuous theme was a feeling, of family atmosphere at their chosen college.
Jackson: I was going to say, just Because of the family atmosphere that the coaches always showed me, my greatest relationship out of all the schools I was getting recruited for was Penn State. I have been in contact with my freshman year, so I just loved the family orientation feel that they had, they always treat their players like their son, that they kind of use that motto, treating their players like family. So I just felt like with that.
Azu: After all the speeches and recognitions the athletes finally put pen to paper and made their final commitments in front of their families, friends, coaches, teammates and the rest of their support network. I’m Jackson Azu, reporting for Laker Update.
