WCU Football Recruit Mike Anderson a Great Story
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 7:57 pm
Before the start of his senior year, college seemed like a far-fetched possibility for Mike Anderson.
He was failing classes, missing classes, bouncing from school to school and his grade-point average was below the minimum required mark to play the sport he loved: football.
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With just one year of high school left and an uncertain future at hand, Anderson realized a change must be had.
On Tuesday, the 17-year-old Ida Baker defensive back signed a letter of intent to play for Western Carolina University.
In doing so, he made school history as he became Baker's first student/athlete to receive a full four-year athletic scholarship to a Division I school.
“He had a lot to do academically,” said Ida Baker coach Brian Conn. “I'm extremely proud of him. He was extremely motivated. Once he saw what he wanted, he went after it with everything he had, both academically and athletically.”
Baker held a ceremonial signing party for Anderson in the school auditorium. Over 200 friends, family, teammates and fellow students attended and gave him a standing ovation after he signed.
Anderson thanked his coaching staff, his friends, his family and the Ida Baker administration.
“I came in below a 2.0 (GPA),” Anderson said. “The Baker administration and coaches helped me keep on track. I was really devoted. (Academics) was my main focus.”
Anderson's mother, Vanessa Alexander, said before enrolling her son into Baker for his senior year, she had Anderson in two other Lee County schools, Dunbar and South Fort Myers.
“Something had to be changed,” she said.
Alexander said her son was spending too much time around his friends who she said were serving as a bad influence on him. So she took him across the Caloosahatchee and over to Baker hoping that the transplant away from his friends would make it easier for him to get on track.
“He made a big change,” she said. “He went from 'F's' to 'A's.'”
“I'm so astounded by how he's turned his life around,” said Anderson's father Mike Anderson Sr. “I can't even describe how I feel. I'm so proud of him.”
While Conn said he thinks Anderson could excel on the college level, his early high school days might still hurt him as he has yet to go through an off-season weight program.
Conn said this could put him a bit behind.
But being behind is apparently nothing new to the 5-foot-9, 155-pound business major. And as he has proven in his senior year, he seems to possess the motivation and willpower to take on a challenge.
]
Conn said his overall attitude and his knowledge of the game should help make for a successful freshman year as well.
http://www.news-press.com/article/20090 ... 7/1003/ACC
highlight video
hope he brings this hard work and dedication to valley.
He was failing classes, missing classes, bouncing from school to school and his grade-point average was below the minimum required mark to play the sport he loved: football.
Advertisement
With just one year of high school left and an uncertain future at hand, Anderson realized a change must be had.
On Tuesday, the 17-year-old Ida Baker defensive back signed a letter of intent to play for Western Carolina University.
In doing so, he made school history as he became Baker's first student/athlete to receive a full four-year athletic scholarship to a Division I school.
“He had a lot to do academically,” said Ida Baker coach Brian Conn. “I'm extremely proud of him. He was extremely motivated. Once he saw what he wanted, he went after it with everything he had, both academically and athletically.”
Baker held a ceremonial signing party for Anderson in the school auditorium. Over 200 friends, family, teammates and fellow students attended and gave him a standing ovation after he signed.
Anderson thanked his coaching staff, his friends, his family and the Ida Baker administration.
“I came in below a 2.0 (GPA),” Anderson said. “The Baker administration and coaches helped me keep on track. I was really devoted. (Academics) was my main focus.”
Anderson's mother, Vanessa Alexander, said before enrolling her son into Baker for his senior year, she had Anderson in two other Lee County schools, Dunbar and South Fort Myers.
“Something had to be changed,” she said.
Alexander said her son was spending too much time around his friends who she said were serving as a bad influence on him. So she took him across the Caloosahatchee and over to Baker hoping that the transplant away from his friends would make it easier for him to get on track.
“He made a big change,” she said. “He went from 'F's' to 'A's.'”
“I'm so astounded by how he's turned his life around,” said Anderson's father Mike Anderson Sr. “I can't even describe how I feel. I'm so proud of him.”
While Conn said he thinks Anderson could excel on the college level, his early high school days might still hurt him as he has yet to go through an off-season weight program.
Conn said this could put him a bit behind.
But being behind is apparently nothing new to the 5-foot-9, 155-pound business major. And as he has proven in his senior year, he seems to possess the motivation and willpower to take on a challenge.
]
Conn said his overall attitude and his knowledge of the game should help make for a successful freshman year as well.
http://www.news-press.com/article/20090 ... 7/1003/ACC
highlight video
hope he brings this hard work and dedication to valley.
