ROANOKE, Va. – Over 80 high school football players were given a chance to showcase their skill and will to play at the next level Tuesday night at William Fleming.
Emory & Henry College held an area prospect camp, attracting student-athletes from many of the schools here in the Valley and beyond.
“We really appreciate William Fleming for opening up their arms and letting us hold the event here,” said Emory & Henry head football coach Curt Newsome. “It’s a convenient place for people to get to and they’ve just been great to us and we’re excited about it and it’s kind of a central location for everyone to get to and a great facility.”
Newsome said events like these are pivotal for recruiting talent in the area and attracting players to a now Division II program.
“There’s no question we have to make a living with Virginia kids,” Newsome said. “Roanoke and Lynchburg are close areas that we have to recruit. It’s been good to us in Division III and we expect it to be even better as we make the climb to Division II.”
It’s also a climb that Newsome said opens up more opportunities to bring in more of the top tier athletes in the area.
“When you walk in and say scholarship it lights up everybody’s eyes up because most of these young men were told since they were 9 years old, ‘Hey you’re trying to get a scholarship.’ I don’t know if that’s always the case but it helps with recruiting for sure. So that has opened our doors up to some young men we wouldn’t normally recruit.”
William Fleming will host another prospect camp on Thursday, May 20 when the University of Virginia at Wise comes to the Star City.