National Signing Day

[DanvilleSportsHead]

First and foremost congrats to all of the young men and women who signed National Letters of Intent to further their education and sports careers today. I would also like to congratulate the 4 young men from George Washington Danville who signed to play football at the next level, with hopefully more following soon.
Curtis Brooks- University of Cincinatti
Donald Smith- Hampton University
Tim Glass- NC State
Maleek Henderson- NC Central University

If you know of any signings from your school or team, just post them up on the thread and acknowledge these young men's hard work. I'm sure we all would like to know where these talented young men in 4a are going.

 

[danbeatty65]

From the Courtland Cougars:

Vic Greene - Coastal Carolina
Nick Grant - University of Virginia
Jabari Allen - Towson State
George Cheetham - Virginia State

My son, Ben Beatty is still considering Army, but hasn't committed yet. William & Mary, JMU, Duke and Syracuse have offered preferred walk-ons. He's weighing football versus track--lot's to decide.

 

[DanvilleSportsHead]

From the Courtland Cougars:

Vic Greene - Coastal Carolina
Nick Grant - University of Virginia
Jabari Allen - Towson State
George Cheetham - Virginia State

My son, Ben Beatty is still considering Army, but hasn't committed yet. William & Mary, JMU, Duke and Syracuse have offered preferred walk-ons. He's weighing football versus track--lot's to decide.

Good luck to your son. I can't imagine how proud you are of him and all of his hard work. Wonderful feat! Thanks for sharing!

 

[shauntclair]

From the Courtland Cougars:

Vic Greene - Coastal Carolina
Nick Grant - University of Virginia
Jabari Allen - Towson State
George Cheetham - Virginia State

My son, Ben Beatty is still considering Army, but hasn't committed yet. William & Mary, JMU, Duke and Syracuse have offered preferred walk-ons. He's weighing football versus track--lot's to decide.

Screw preferred walk-on. Waste of time and the disappointment hurts. 100% guarantee Army is the best thing to do.

Now, I have to tell you, playing Football at one of the Military academies is one of the hardest things the boy will ever do. It is not the cruise control Colleges do for their athletes. There are no breaks from the requirements everyone else has (which are extraordinary). But the boy that comes home will be an extraordinary man.

Best of luck in whatever is decided. I realize that the boy has earned the right to make his own choices. I thought the same and did the same. I was wrong. I was wrong for me. I was wrong for them. Encourage Army.

 

[86CulpGrad]

Eastern View High School

Josh Stallings - William & Mary
Brett Leake - Naval Academy
Bryce Harty - UVA-Wise
RaeQuan Carter - VA State

 

[VolNation85]

From the Courtland Cougars:

Vic Greene - Coastal Carolina
Nick Grant - University of Virginia
Jabari Allen - Towson State
George Cheetham - Virginia State

My son, Ben Beatty is still considering Army, but hasn't committed yet. William & Mary, JMU, Duke and Syracuse have offered preferred walk-ons. He's weighing football versus track--lot's to decide.

What position does the preferred walk-on schools want him to play?

 

[danbeatty65]

What position does the preferred walk-on schools want him to play?

They like him at his preferred DE even though most of his accolades have come as a guard.

 

[shauntclair]

They like him at his preferred DE even though most of his accolades have come as a guard.

He was perfect for Courtland's offense and all the pulling guards they use but he's small for a DI guard. His size makes him a tweener but for someone that big and that fast is rare. Those 40 and shuttle times are quite good. The video verifies it. Actually, I was most impressed with the 400m time. Any offensive or defensive lineman that can break 60 there has got some real wheels.

At Army, he could play any of the positions mentioned but I have to tell you, IMO, he'd be a LB for me. Somebody will get a good one. GL to him.

 

[danbeatty65]

He was perfect for Courtland's offense and all the pulling guards they use but he's small for a DI guard. His size makes him a tweener but for someone that big and that fast is rare. Those 40 and shuttle times are quite good. The video verifies it. Actually, I was most impressed with the 400m time. Any offensive or defensive lineman that can break 60 there has got some real wheels.

At Army, he could play any of the positions mentioned but I have to tell you, IMO, he'd be a LB for me. Somebody will get a good one. GL to him.

I've always thought LB was the place for him--Courtland needed him on the line due to, as you said--their system, plus the smaller number of boys to draw from based on the school size and the need to play both ways. I often wonder what might have happened if he was fortunate enough to have been at a larger school where he could have specialized in one position. Still, it was a wonderful season and he has a lot of opportunities at some great schools. He really can't make a bad choice--he's now deciding between football and throwing.

 

[AdvocateOfMany434]

Screw preferred walk-on. Waste of time and the disappointment hurts. 100% guarantee Army is the best thing to do.

Now, I have to tell you, playing Football at one of the Military academies is one of the hardest things the boy will ever do. It is not the cruise control Colleges do for their athletes. There are no breaks from the requirements everyone else has (which are extraordinary). But the boy that comes home will be an extraordinary man.

Best of luck in whatever is decided. I realize that the boy has earned the right to make his own choices. I thought the same and did the same. I was wrong. I was wrong for me. I was wrong for them. Encourage Army.

Im like you! Screw a preferred walk on!

 

[danbeatty65]

He was perfect for Courtland's offense and all the pulling guards they use but he's small for a DI guard. His size makes him a tweener but for someone that big and that fast is rare. Those 40 and shuttle times are quite good. The video verifies it. Actually, I was most impressed with the 400m time. Any offensive or defensive lineman that can break 60 there has got some real wheels.

At Army, he could play any of the positions mentioned but I have to tell you, IMO, he'd be a LB for me. Somebody will get a good one. GL to him.

Well--now he has made his decision, and I'm very proud and relieved. Ben has decided to stop banging heads on the football field and will be a shot and hammer thrower for Duke University. At this point he is pursuing an ultimate degree goal of doctor of physical therapy.

 

[mike salem]

Well--now he has made his decision, and I'm very proud and relieved. Ben has decided to stop banging heads on the football field and will be a shot and hammer thrower for Duke University. At this point he is pursuing an ultimate degree goal of doctor of physical therapy.

Does he want a doctorate in PT or does he want to be a physiatrist? (PT Dr) Speaking from the patient side, we can use more Dr's in that field.

 

[ClarkeFan83]

Well--now he has made his decision, and I'm very proud and relieved. Ben has decided to stop banging heads on the football field and will be a shot and hammer thrower for Duke University. At this point he is pursuing an ultimate degree goal of doctor of physical therapy.

As a father who has a daughter in her first year of a DPT program, I can truthfully say that I wish him the best. My daughter looked at Duke for DPT, but ultimately decided on VCU. We visited Duke and I was just amazed at the absolute beauty of that campus. The people in the area were the nicest folks you could meet. She's happy with her decision though, but did keep her Duke t-shirt and we did take a pic on the floor of Cameron. Good luck!

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I'm glad to hear of another medical professional being trained, Dan. My thanks to you and ClarkeFan. Us old, busted up guys need all the help we can get.

Shot put and hammer? Wow! That's neat stuff. Except for the olympics, you never hear about those events. Best wishes to him. And your daughter, too Clarke.

 

[AdvocateOfMany434]

Well--now he has made his decision, and I'm very proud and relieved. Ben has decided to stop banging heads on the football field and will be a shot and hammer thrower for Duke University. At this point he is pursuing an ultimate degree goal of doctor of physical therapy.

what does his shot throws look like?

BTW, this is amazing, a man with a plan. nothing wrong with that!

 

[danbeatty65]

Does he want a doctorate in PT or does he want to be a physiatrist? (PT Dr) Speaking from the patient side, we can use more Dr's in that field.

Not sure, but I do know that Duke has a very good program for the DPT degree--I think it's the doctorate in PT. Heck, he's only 18 and could change his mind 5 times before he lands

 

[danbeatty65]

As a father who has a daughter in her first year of a DPT program, I can truthfully say that I wish him the best. My daughter looked at Duke for DPT, but ultimately decided on VCU. We visited Duke and I was just amazed at the absolute beauty of that campus. The people in the area were the nicest folks you could meet. She's happy with her decision though, but did keep her Duke t-shirt and we did take a pic on the floor of Cameron. Good luck!

Thank you and good luck to your daughter--for all of us who often need PT, the more qualified folks that follow in that field the better!

 

[danbeatty65]

what does his shot throws look like?

BTW, this is amazing, a man with a plan. nothing wrong with that!

He was Virginia's outdoor shot put champion in 2015 with a throw of 58', but his PR is 59'-7" He went to Nationals last year as well, but didn't do so well because he strained his back at the JMU Big Man's football camp right before

He's competed this winter on the indoor circuit for the first time and won district and regionals. We head down to Lynchburg on Friday for the Indoor State finals.

 

[AdvocateOfMany434]

Wish yall the best. I was thinking about attending that meet. I know some kids we got in states. Lynchburg is 18 miles from appomattox

 

[ClarkeFan83]

Not sure, but I do know that Duke has a very good program for the DPT degree--I think it's the doctorate in PT. Heck, he's only 18 and could change his mind 5 times before he lands

I think Duke's DPT program is ranked in the top 20 nationally. Pitt and Univ. of Delaware are 1 and 2, they switch back and forth a lot. She also visited them, she just didn't get the same vibe as she got from VCU.

What is your son planning on majoring in for his undergraduate?

 

[ClarkeFan83]

Thank you and good luck to your daughter--for all of us who often need PT, the more qualified folks that follow in that field the better!

I actually got to be her first patient about 2 years ago after I shattered my collarbone and broke my scapula in 3 places trying to avoid a herd of deer on my motorcycle. That's the first time my daughter ever hurt me!!

She wants to concentrate in critical care, inpatient, stroke victims. Maybe even work for the VA. I don't care what she does, as long as she gives me grandkids!!

 

[mike salem]

I think Duke's DPT program is ranked in the top 20 nationally. Pitt and Univ. of Delaware are 1 and 2, they switch back and forth a lot. She also visited them, she just didn't get the same vibe as she got from VCU.

What is your son planning on majoring in for his undergraduate?

Our RT Braxton Wall, is going to Washington & Lee primarily to further his education with the ultimate goal of being an Orthopaedic Dr. (I think it's funny the British still spell it this way) It's comforting to know as I fall apart that somebody will be there to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

 

[danbeatty65]

I think Duke's DPT program is ranked in the top 20 nationally. Pitt and Univ. of Delaware are 1 and 2, they switch back and forth a lot. She also visited them, she just didn't get the same vibe as she got from VCU.

What is your son planning on majoring in for his undergraduate?

The path that he'll probably take is either Evolutionary Anthropology (anatomy and physiology is housed in this department), or the Psychology/Neuroscience path. One of the All-American throwers Duke had, Michelle Anumba took this pathway and is in the last year of her DPT studies.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Our RT Braxton Wall, is going to Washington & Lee primarily to further his education with the ultimate goal of being an Orthopaedic Dr. (I think it's funny the British still spell it this way) It's comforting to know as I fall apart that somebody will be there to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

I have to chuckle when we old guys all are happy to hear of kids going into fields we know we will all need.

This type of talk is fine, but if we start talking about our latest bowel movements, I'm out of here!

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I know the details of ClarkeFan's accident. I hope he will share his whole story with you guys. Once you get past how tragic it nearly was, it's pretty funny? I don't think his daughter had any choice. I think she figured his clumsy butt would drain the family fortune if she didn't do something to cut the cost.

In all seriousness, Clarke is lucky to be with us, and I for one, am glad to call him my friend.

 

[ClarkeFan83]

I have to chuckle when we old guys all are happy to hear of kids going into fields we know we will all need.

This type of talk is fine, but if we start talking about our latest bowel movements, I'm out of here!

You are the only one who brings that topic up!! I wonder about you!

 

[DinwiddieProud]

You are the only one who brings that topic up!! I wonder about you!

Hell, I wonder about me!

 

[ClarkeFan83]

I know the details of ClarkeFan's accident. I hope he will share his whole story with you guys. Once you get past how tragic it nearly was, it's pretty funny? I don't think his daughter had any choice. I think she figured his clumsy butt would drain the family fortune if she didn't do something to cut the cost.

In all seriousness, Clarke is lucky to be with us, and I for one, am glad to call him my friend.

ok, I'll try to keep it short....I was heading into DC to work in April, 2014. I was about 5 minutes from home, 5:15 am, decent weather. I was doing 40-45 in a 45 mph zone. I came up over a blind hill and there was a herd of deer smack dab in my path. I don't think I hit any of them, but the next thing I remember was landing on my right shoulder and rolling in the road. Shoulder hurt like hell. So, I'm laying there, realizing I'm okay except for the excruciating pain in my shoulder. I see lights coming on the side of the road I was still laying on. Again, I'm on a blind hill, so I know they won't see me til it's too late, so I roll myself over the double yellow and look up. A pickup truck drives past, the tires just missing my helmet. All I could think about was I needed to walk my daughter down the aisle in a month. The poor guy in the pickup truck stops, and runs over to me. He's shaking like a leaf and is asking if I'm okay and that he didn't see me and what happened. Me, I'm calm cool and collected and tell him I think I broke my shoulder and handed him my phone to call the squad. He had to ask me what road we were on, he was so shook up. I then had him call my wife, who wanted to come down to the accident site. I told her no, just meet me at the hospital whenever she got herself ready, that there was really nothing she could do here anyway. I don't think that guy ever made it to work that day, he was really upset. I had surgery a couple days later, put a metal strap on my collarbone and used 9 screws to hold it all together. The scapula just had to heal on it's own. Apparently, it's the hardest bone in the body to break, and I did it in 3 places. Woo hoo! Still have the screws and strap in there. I already carry a card for metal detectors that go off because I had my spine fused back in 2007 after 3 back surgeries.

I still miss my motorcycle though. I get jealous every time I see someone riding one. But the married woman I live with put her foot down and said no more.