Gobbler Fan
03-08-2007, 06:10 AM
March 08, 2007 - Posted at 12:00 a.m.
CUERO - National signing day was a month ago but the date mattered little to five members of last season's Cuero football team.
Running back Fabian Olguin, wide receiver Corion Scott, offensive lineman Gary Lewis and linebackers Bo Pargman and Dason Jackson are proof good things come to those who wait and persevere.
The Cuero seniors showed the desire to play on the college level can be fulfilled without signing a letter of intent with a Division I-A school.
"It isn't about how big it is," Scott said of the ability to live out a dream.
Scott, Jackson and Lewis will attend Division III Sul Ross State in Alpine, Pargman is headed to Division II Texas A&M-Kingsville and Olguin will attend Division III Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton.
"We tell our kids that everybody who wants to play at the next level should get a chance," Cuero athletic director and head football coach Mark Reeve said after the players announced where they will play on Wednesday. "They have to make choices, take trips and invest time filling out the paperwork to make sure they are academically suitable to get some money from these colleges."
Pargman looked at five schools before deciding to accept an offer to walk-on at Texas A&M-Kingsville, where he will be able to major in his chosen field.
"I was trying to go somewhere where I could get some playing time and I was able to major in mechanical engineering," Pargman said. "This was the only one of the five that offered what I wanted as far as getting an education."
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Lewis, Scott and Jackson figured the opportunity to get a degree and play football would make traveling to a small town in West Texas so far from home worthwhile.
"I can get an education and it's a good chance for me to experience something different," said Lewis, who visited Alpine with Scott and Jackson during its cowboy celebration. "I found out if you wait, you might get more options and get a better chance of going somewhere you want to go. It also helps you to make better decisions."
Lewis and his teammates' decisions were made with the assistance of Reeve and members of his staff, who work hard to find their players a school where they will have a chance to play.
"We sit down with our seniors and find out who wants to play at the next level," Reeve said. "We have three coaches who continue to work on finding a place. Even when a player hasn't signed, we tell him not to give up. We send out tapes and make phone calls. At some point, the kids and a college will come together like they did with these five."
Olguin visited Sul Ross and Division II Midwestern State in Wichita Falls before deciding on Mary Hardin-Baylor. Scott visited Division I-AA Texas State in San Marcos, where he had the opportunity to walk-on and play with his twin brother, Corey, before electing to attend Sul Ross.
"You cannot put a boundary on where you play and you can't let the A's get in the way," Reeve said. "You can't limit your choices to Division I or just playing in Texas. You have to be wide open if you want to play. You have to look at all your choices if you want to find places that fit your needs."
Reeve has discovered Division III schools often have more financial aid to give than Division II programs. Olguin was also pleased to learn that Mary Hardin-Baylor was more concerned about his ability than his height and weight.
"If you really want to play, you will look at other places," Olguin said. "You've got a lot of small colleges who will look at you if you want to play. I'm getting a chance to play running back and that's what I wanted to do."
Reeve predicted more Cuero seniors would have the opportunity to play on the college level after Justin Freeman, Tre Gray and Corey Scott signed letters of intent with the University of Houston, University of Richmond and Texas State, respectively, on national signing day. The Cuero coach is happy for the players who are getting the chance and hopes they become an example for others to follow.
"You've got to find that place and the kids have got to be willing to go to that school wherever it is," Reeve said. "You have to look at the educational and financial side along with the opportunity to play sports. Once you've found the right combination of those three, you've found the place you need to go."
Mike Forman is a sports writer for the Victoria Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6588 or mforman@vicad.com, or comment on this column at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.
That makes 9 Gobbler Senior's playing football on the next level in either Div I ,II, OR III. :) Coach Reeve and his staff did one hell of a job helping these kid's get the opportunity to advance with their education and play football while doing it. :clap:
CUERO - National signing day was a month ago but the date mattered little to five members of last season's Cuero football team.
Running back Fabian Olguin, wide receiver Corion Scott, offensive lineman Gary Lewis and linebackers Bo Pargman and Dason Jackson are proof good things come to those who wait and persevere.
The Cuero seniors showed the desire to play on the college level can be fulfilled without signing a letter of intent with a Division I-A school.
"It isn't about how big it is," Scott said of the ability to live out a dream.
Scott, Jackson and Lewis will attend Division III Sul Ross State in Alpine, Pargman is headed to Division II Texas A&M-Kingsville and Olguin will attend Division III Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton.
"We tell our kids that everybody who wants to play at the next level should get a chance," Cuero athletic director and head football coach Mark Reeve said after the players announced where they will play on Wednesday. "They have to make choices, take trips and invest time filling out the paperwork to make sure they are academically suitable to get some money from these colleges."
Pargman looked at five schools before deciding to accept an offer to walk-on at Texas A&M-Kingsville, where he will be able to major in his chosen field.
"I was trying to go somewhere where I could get some playing time and I was able to major in mechanical engineering," Pargman said. "This was the only one of the five that offered what I wanted as far as getting an education."
Click here to view our website!
Lewis, Scott and Jackson figured the opportunity to get a degree and play football would make traveling to a small town in West Texas so far from home worthwhile.
"I can get an education and it's a good chance for me to experience something different," said Lewis, who visited Alpine with Scott and Jackson during its cowboy celebration. "I found out if you wait, you might get more options and get a better chance of going somewhere you want to go. It also helps you to make better decisions."
Lewis and his teammates' decisions were made with the assistance of Reeve and members of his staff, who work hard to find their players a school where they will have a chance to play.
"We sit down with our seniors and find out who wants to play at the next level," Reeve said. "We have three coaches who continue to work on finding a place. Even when a player hasn't signed, we tell him not to give up. We send out tapes and make phone calls. At some point, the kids and a college will come together like they did with these five."
Olguin visited Sul Ross and Division II Midwestern State in Wichita Falls before deciding on Mary Hardin-Baylor. Scott visited Division I-AA Texas State in San Marcos, where he had the opportunity to walk-on and play with his twin brother, Corey, before electing to attend Sul Ross.
"You cannot put a boundary on where you play and you can't let the A's get in the way," Reeve said. "You can't limit your choices to Division I or just playing in Texas. You have to be wide open if you want to play. You have to look at all your choices if you want to find places that fit your needs."
Reeve has discovered Division III schools often have more financial aid to give than Division II programs. Olguin was also pleased to learn that Mary Hardin-Baylor was more concerned about his ability than his height and weight.
"If you really want to play, you will look at other places," Olguin said. "You've got a lot of small colleges who will look at you if you want to play. I'm getting a chance to play running back and that's what I wanted to do."
Reeve predicted more Cuero seniors would have the opportunity to play on the college level after Justin Freeman, Tre Gray and Corey Scott signed letters of intent with the University of Houston, University of Richmond and Texas State, respectively, on national signing day. The Cuero coach is happy for the players who are getting the chance and hopes they become an example for others to follow.
"You've got to find that place and the kids have got to be willing to go to that school wherever it is," Reeve said. "You have to look at the educational and financial side along with the opportunity to play sports. Once you've found the right combination of those three, you've found the place you need to go."
Mike Forman is a sports writer for the Victoria Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6588 or mforman@vicad.com, or comment on this column at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.
That makes 9 Gobbler Senior's playing football on the next level in either Div I ,II, OR III. :) Coach Reeve and his staff did one hell of a job helping these kid's get the opportunity to advance with their education and play football while doing it. :clap: