Recruiting update....

[Terry Hatfield]

Howdy everyone,

Just thought I would give everyone a little update.....proud Dad thing you know....pardon the gloat. :)

We got back home about 12:30 a.m. from Payton's visit to Belhaven College in Jackson, MS. 1100 miles round trip!!!

We were amazed at what they have to offer and at the school in general. Average class size there is 14...yup...not a typo..14!!!! It seems to be a wonderful place. They have offered him a partial athletic scholarship. In conjunction with his academic scholarships, I think we can make this fly.....hopefully. It's not an inexpensive place to go ($18,000 per year...yikes!!) so we are still trying to figure out all the funding. We never really considered that he would actually go this far away to play football, but we were so impressed with the coaches, the professors and the college in general that Cheryl and I feel like it's a perfect match for Payton. Payton loved it as well. We also never thought we would accept any type of partial scholarship but Belhaven is not like any where else we have seen. They REALLY want him to play football there and have promised to do as much as they can financially to get him. We will have concrete numbers from them in a couple of weeks.

We still have more places to visit. Southwest Missouri and Evangel Christian are still in the mix with more tapes going out Monday. It's really going to take something special to get him to go anywhere except Belhaven but we are keeping his options open. Nation signing day is looming so hopefully we can wraop this deal up before long.

Anyone here send their kid this far away for college???? Did it work out for you????

You can read about Belhaven here:

http://www.belhaven.edu/

Thanks,

Terry

[Glenn Clabo]

Terry,
Sounds like you're having fun. It really looks like a great school that would fit such a great mankid. I wouldn't feel too bad about the partial scholarship thing. Getting a "full" scholarship is actually very rare...although football programs usually give out the most. You do need to know that if they really want him they will find a way to get him funded. Last year we put one of our adopted young ladies into a Div III (no sports scholarships) soccer program for $2K a year. This school cost $29K (no typo) a year! Yes that's a no sports scholarship $27 funding package.
Keep having fun. I can tell he will land somewhere that he wants...and who wants him.

[Jim Becker]

Terry, that sounds like a wonderful school...emhasis on the school part. My ex attended a similar institution in Allentown PA (Muhlenburg) and you just can't beat a place that has small classes and real professors doing the teaching. When I went to Penn State, I actually had one class with 935 people in it! If it works out that your son ends up at Belhaven, from your description, it could be a winner for both him and them. Best wishes on that!

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Terry
Yup! Our daughter went to Arizona State University in Tempe AZ from her home in Western (Howdy) Pennsylvania.
She was in the ASU Sun Devil Marching Band for the three years that she attended ASU.
Decided to come back toward PA for her senior year and attended Ohio State excuse me "The Ohio State" University - graduated with Bachelors degree.
Attended Arcadia University near Philadelphia for graduate degree. On the other side of the state from home.

During those times - lived in Dorms and Appartments with roommates and by herself.

It made her very independent and a treasure to us.
Get him a credit card with his own name on it and of course you make the payments.
Daughter told us that that one thing helped her and her husband with credit rating when buying a home - so she had the crdit card for 7 years before buying a home - GOOD CREDIT!

Best Regards
Daniel

[Julie Wright]

I went that far away from my parents. A small college, Slipper Rock State College, small classes, lots of extra attention if needed. It does make you very independent . I loved it and the larger school University of MD was not an option, I would have been lost there.
Good Luck in the decision making process

[Ted Shrader]

Terry -

Thanks for the update. Had been wondering (around the bowl season) what results you had in the recruiting search. As Jim said, the emphasis is on school. The education will last the rest of his life. Athletic scholarships Football can be looked at as a part time job to help pay for it.

As for the distance - makes it harder for Mom and Dad to get to ALL the games, but it can be done. The learning experience, both in school and out, of living on his own will prepare him well for life. Sounds like the guidance offered Bellhaven at will ease the transition.

Regards,
Ted

[Terry Hatfield]

Thanks everyone,

We just got a "feeling" at Belhaven that we didn't get anywhere else. Hopefully we can make it work out.

Terry

[John Miliunas]

Thanks everyone,

We just got a "feeling" at Belhaven that we didn't get anywhere else. Hopefully we can make it work out.

Terry

Congrats Terry, to you AND your son! Hope it works out, as I get the feeling you guys want to go with whichever feels best. I'm sure you'll work it out. :cool:

[Terry Hatfield]

John,

We really are searching for the right "feeling". Belhaven is a small christian college that does have the right feeling for us. We are trying to put football second and the education first. One thing that really impressed us about Belhaven is they will honor your football scholarship until graduation even if you get hurt in the first practice and are unable to play a single down for them. They have a commitment second to none to the student. Not just to the football player.

They have nice facilities and are breaking ground on a brand new football stadium in Feb. which we also like of course. I sure wish they weren't so far away.

t

[Ed Falis]

Sounds really great, Terry. Hope it all works for Payton.

- Ed