NAPLES — Anthony Spano, a rising junior offensive lineman at Gulf Coast High School, returned from the Rivals.com Ultimate 100 Camp with a sample of what college football will be like.
He also saw what the rest of the country has to offer.
“It’s different than playing high school ball in the sense that you’re competing with the highest level,” Spano said. “There’s everything from big to fast to strong. There was no one there that couldn’t get the job done.”
Spano was invited to the camp, which was held at the University of Oklahoma, by coach David Schuman along with other top high school players in the country. He earned the invitation by first winning a competition against other athletes from Florida.
Spano next won a regional competition that included players from Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and Louisiana. He was one of three offensive linemen invited to participate in the national camp.
“I’m glad that I was able to go to that level and compete,” Spano said.
The two-day camp started with individual periods with coaches, agility drills and footwork. The players were then taken on a tour of Oklahoma’s facilities, such as the weight room and athletic centers. The first day ended with one-on-one drills. The second day consisted of individual drills and one-on-ones.
By NCAA rules, college coaches cannot attend these types of camps. An optional tour before the camp started, though, allowed Spano to meet Oklahoma offensive line coach James Patton and a graduate assistant who played offensive line for the Sooners.
These coaches spoke to the athletes about what it takes to compete at the collegiate level. They also said that not every player at the camp would be a fit for Oklahoma.
Gulf Coast High coach Frank Tudryn has worked with Spano since he was called up to the varsity level for two games in his freshmen year.
“He’s very dependable, our best offensive lineman,” Tudryn said. “He’s a warrior in the weight room.”
As a sophomore, Spano won the King of the Board contest, a competition that tests strength and endurance by forcing an athlete to push his opponent off of the board.
In addition to his talents on the field, Spano has risen to the top of his class academically. He ranks 33rd out of 537 students in his class with a 4.2 GPA. Now that he has begun to think seriously about college, Spano said the academic standards of the university will play a major role in his decision.
Ideally, he is looking for a school with a challenging curriculum, but also has a strong football program. Universities like Vanderbilt and Wake Forest, he said, were potential candidates.
“I’m open to anything,” Spano said. “I’m not closing any doors at this point. I just want to play college football.”
He also saw what the rest of the country has to offer.
“It’s different than playing high school ball in the sense that you’re competing with the highest level,” Spano said. “There’s everything from big to fast to strong. There was no one there that couldn’t get the job done.”
Spano was invited to the camp, which was held at the University of Oklahoma, by coach David Schuman along with other top high school players in the country. He earned the invitation by first winning a competition against other athletes from Florida.
Spano next won a regional competition that included players from Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and Louisiana. He was one of three offensive linemen invited to participate in the national camp.
“I’m glad that I was able to go to that level and compete,” Spano said.
The two-day camp started with individual periods with coaches, agility drills and footwork. The players were then taken on a tour of Oklahoma’s facilities, such as the weight room and athletic centers. The first day ended with one-on-one drills. The second day consisted of individual drills and one-on-ones.
By NCAA rules, college coaches cannot attend these types of camps. An optional tour before the camp started, though, allowed Spano to meet Oklahoma offensive line coach James Patton and a graduate assistant who played offensive line for the Sooners.
These coaches spoke to the athletes about what it takes to compete at the collegiate level. They also said that not every player at the camp would be a fit for Oklahoma.
Gulf Coast High coach Frank Tudryn has worked with Spano since he was called up to the varsity level for two games in his freshmen year.
“He’s very dependable, our best offensive lineman,” Tudryn said. “He’s a warrior in the weight room.”
As a sophomore, Spano won the King of the Board contest, a competition that tests strength and endurance by forcing an athlete to push his opponent off of the board.
In addition to his talents on the field, Spano has risen to the top of his class academically. He ranks 33rd out of 537 students in his class with a 4.2 GPA. Now that he has begun to think seriously about college, Spano said the academic standards of the university will play a major role in his decision.
Ideally, he is looking for a school with a challenging curriculum, but also has a strong football program. Universities like Vanderbilt and Wake Forest, he said, were potential candidates.
“I’m open to anything,” Spano said. “I’m not closing any doors at this point. I just want to play college football.”
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