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A Special Day: Boyd's athletic depth shows with 13 signings
By Richard C. White, rwhite@starlocalnews.com
McKinney Boyd saw many of its best and brightest take that next step Wednesday afternoon when 13 athletes in four different sports signed letters of intent to play collegiate athletics on National Signing Day.
"This is a great day to honor the accomplishments of all of these kids," said Don Drake, Boyd athletic director. "This day says a lot about what their contribution has been to our campus over the last four years and we're excited about the opportunity that lies ahead for them and we look forward to watching their success."
Two-time Landry Award finalist and all-state running back Bryan Driskell highlighted Boyd's deep class, signing to play football for Air Force. Driskell reached several impressive milestones during his time at Boyd, including rushing for more than 5,000 yards and scoring over 400 points.
Driskell said the structured routine and job security the Air Force Academy offers were key factors in his decision-making process.
"That's what caught my eye the most is what it's going to do for me after college," he said. "From a life perspective I'm going to have a guaranteed job right out of college. You can't go wrong with it. I'm going to get to play football while getting a great education."
Driskell's teammate, Daylon Markham, is heading to Harding University. For Markham, playing college football holds a special meaning for him.
"I'm excited to be a Bison and I can't wait to go out there and play," he said. "It's a great feeling to know that I'm going to get to play at the next level. My dad played college ball, too, so it's special to follow in his footsteps."
Chris Stanton, who signed with Truman State University, was another Broncos football player who made his commitment official on Wednesday.
"It feels good to finally accomplish this after the many years of football and hard work," he said. "It felt good signing, knowing that the recruiting process is over and it's official, but I know I still have a lot of hard work left to do because college is a whole other level and I can't wait to prepare for it."
Boyd also had athletes from their girls basketball and boys and girls soccer teams sign letters of intent. Allison Coleman was one of four Lady Broncos soccer players who signed Wednesday.
Coleman, who's heading to Central Arkansas, credits the elite status of Boyd's soccer program for helping prepare her for the next level. The Lady Broncos are routinely nationally ranked and also hold two of the last five state titles.
"This has been an awesome experience," Coleman said. "It's definitely been a tough competition all through high school, so it's gotten me ready for that next level. Getting to sign was a great moment, having it all come together finally."
Micaela Gonzalez was one of two Lady Broncos basketball players who signed Wednesday. She is encouraged by the many opportunities that lie ahead for her at UT Tyler.
"It's exciting looking forward to the future," she said. "When I was going on visits and looking at all the different schools, the main thing I was looking for was the family feel amongst the girls. It wasn't about division, or location, or coaches, I was looking for the bond between the players and I found that in Tyler."
Gonzalez's teammate Julia Hendrieth will be playing college basketball next year for Dillard University.
"The recruiting process is very stressful, so it feels good to finally sign," she said. "Other people, they don't see the effort, the phone calls, the concerns. There are so many things that go into the recruiting process. Signing today is a big relief."
While she's relieved that National Signing Day has come and gone, Hendrieth said it's not the various ups and downs of the recruiting process that will stick with her the most. Rather, she said it's the close-knit camaraderie she's forged with her teammates over the years. Those are the experiences she'll never forget.
"The rest of my senior year is going to be great," she said. "Now that it's over and I know where I'm going, it's time to reminisce and enjoy these last few months. The most important thing through all of this is I love my team. They're the best thing that's happened and through all of this, that's the one thing I'll remember the most."
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