Ever heard of Fork Union Military Academy? You will soon...

[MrMustang1965]

And at military academies, these young men learn DISCIPLINE and RESPECT...something that is sadly lacking in many Div. 1-A schools around the country.

[smupony]

I have a pretty good feel for these types of schools. I grew up in the northeast and had many freinds go to these prep schools (13th grade). Usually for lacross and football.

Each prep school specializes in a sport and usually creates a good relationship with a few particular colleges. The classes taken in the 13th grade magically transfer as college credit into the colleges with the realtionships. One year in the 13th grade usually eqauls a semester in college. The classes taken are the core classes that would be taken their freshman year.

So when you boil it all down, a athlete will loose one semester of real college to gain expert coaching and a year of maturity. They also have the ability to wipe their high school grades clean and go off their 13th grade marks.

I have seen many a player who would have normally gone to a Jr. college make a top 25 team a year after the 13th grade.

These types of schools are heavily recruited and usually have a "feeder" college in place.

Congrats to SMU for finding an in to the Virginia program. And yes these types of programs are athlete warehouses.

Hope that helps.

[Stallion]

OK I think you hit the nail on the head if you are correct about players being able to wipe their high school grades clean-because GPA in core courses is the major focus for admission now. Why send a kid to JC for two years when he could be eligible in 1 year and retain I suppose 4 years. Thanks. BTW I suspect it has absolutely NOTHING to do with earning Military RESPECT and DISCIPLINE and everything to do with Big Time College Football. Certainly people aren't so naive to think that these 40 recruits showed up at military school to march in parades in their uniform.

[The XtC]

Prep school kids do have 4 years of eligibilty, but they cant take a regular redshirt year. Not unless the rule has changed in the last couple of years. Its still 5 years to play 4. They can get a harship year for medical reasons.

Fork Union has been a basketball powerhouse for years, they always turn out at least 2-3 high quality basketball recruits every year. I knew they had a football team, but I never paid much attention to them because most of the other really strong basketball schools dont even have football teams. According to their website, there are 25 FUMA grads in the NFL, including 3 playing for the Cowboys.

smupony is right about establishing a pipeline to these types of programs, they can become a huge feeder for a D1 college. Thats part of why you take a kid from Oak Hill, even if he isnt their star, it helps to establish the relationship.

[Mike Damone]

While I seriously doubt that any of them go to the military schools for any reason other than becoming eligible, these schools aren't vacation sights. I remember watching a special on Gameday (or some show like that) on Larry Fitzgerald. He went to one of these schools out of high school and said he cried himself to sleep the first few nights. Also, I know that many recruiting "gurus" have a very hard time following the kids at Hargrave because they aren't allowed many, if any, personal phone calls while they're at school there.

Regardless, this is something that SMU needs to take advantage of.

[The XtC]

In response to Stallions question about the changes in rules for JC player eligibility. I believe the change was an increase in the number of hours needed to be eligible. From 48 up to 60. Many JC kids dont even take 60 hours in their first 2 years, so this is going to present a problem for almost any school recruiting a JC player. The rule doesnt apply to prep school kids, though. That may be why you're seeing more of a trend to push kids who arent quite eligible into those types of programs. Its easier to establish eligibility, and they can still play 4 years.

I dont remember when the 60 hour rule goes into effect. I'll have to check.

[mrydel]

What is the eligible signing period for the prep schools? Same as JC or same as high school?

[EastStang]

Hargrave is another southern Virginia military prep school aligned with the Virginia Baptists. Their academic requirements are less rigorous than Fork Union. That may explain the large number of BCS kids there. As always, you have to wonder who is footing the bill for these kids attendance there. These schools do have scholarship funds. My guess is that boosters of schools donate funds to these scholarship funds and remarkably a "non qualifier" HS all everything shows up at their door. The good things about these academy kids is that they do learn discipline, manners, and get a lot of individualized academic attention. They make better academic risks for a program. At Fork Union I heard that if you don't wear your uniform correctly and don't make you bed just right or don't keep your locker just perfect, you walk a guard tour for 4 hours with an unloaded rifle and lose TV privileges.

[SWC2010]

...if you are correct about players being able to wipe their high school grades clean-because GPA in core courses is the major focus for admission now. Why send a kid to JC for two years when he could be eligible in 1 year and retain I suppose 4 years...

Good point-- the 1 yr deal may be the key, Stallion.

It has been common to find 'Superstar' caliber Bball players from the Bronx/NJ/Chic., etc. in small TX JUCO's. There was no way those JC's could have a recruiting budget to get around the US. So, majors would hide these guys while getting their grades (many had to take a GED to get into the JC).

The problem 'was' the 2yr system. If you transferred out of JC 1st year, you still had to sit out at the D-I school (not sure about naia/D-III).

Plus, the current prep school system will prepare (eeve the academically challenged) the player to study at the college level. And, the semester of college-approved classes gets their gpa off to a great start.

Of course, knowing SMU, we will probably refuse any prep transfer classes!

Question: who do these 5th-yr HS Sr play in their conferences? Do they play only 5th yr HS programs, or do they play blended teams of FR/SO/JR/SR traditional HS programs?

[smupony]

These prep schools play a bunch of different types of programs. Of course they play their local prep schools. They also play many Jr. colleges. The most interesting competition of all is the NCAA teams they play.

In the northeast, prep schools will play Div III programs as well as Div I programs. You probably ask how a prep school can play a Div I school. The games in question are oriented around the service academies and ivy league schools.

Each service academy has a team or group that would be considered a JV team but cannot be called that. These teams are made up of Freshman and Sophomores that are not on the travelling squad for the team. This is the same for Ivy league schools.

Ivy Legaue schools do the same and play their non-essensial players in these "scrimmages".

On the prep school schedule, these games count for ranks and play-off hopes. To the Div I programs, these games are scrimmages for their younger players that may be red shirting or are walk-ons.

These games are not viewed by the NCAA as actual games so no harm no foul.

This is just another way to recruit to these prep schools. The prep schools play against accredited programs and also create relationships with the coaches they are playing against.

A good friend of mine went to Princeton for lacross (a top five program) after a year in a Prep school. He had no grade or disaplinary problems in high school (very high scores) but, was recommeded to go to this particular prep school in order to mature one more year before being asked to join the team.

These prep schools are becoming a JV team to some pretty well known colleges. And by the way, he did get a scholarship to go to the prep school.

[MrMustang1965]

Another mention of Fork Union Military Academy.

(U-WIRE) AMHERST, Mass. -- According to three sources within the Massachusetts football program, sophomore wide receiver Brandon London is heavily considering leaving UMass to pursue an opportunity with a Division I team.

A big target at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds who came on strong for coach Don Brown's team this season, London is said to be considering the transfer "to put himself in the best position to make the [NFL] some day," according to the same sources, two of which were members of UMass' 2003 team.

London played in all 11 games for Don Brown's team this season -- his first as a significant contributor at the college level -- and was second on the team with 34 catches for 439 yards while also posting three touchdowns and averaging 12.9 yards per reception.

A native of Charlottesville, Va., who played one year at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy, London's high school career included stops at both Albemarle High School in Charlottesville and Framingham High School in Eastern Massachusetts.

London's father, Mike, earned four varsity letters in football at the University of Richmond from 1979-82, and now serves as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Virginia.

[EastStang]

I see he went to Framingham HS. Isn't that where Patrick Ewing went to school and Mike Javis was the coach?

[GrapevineMustang]

I think Wilson and Powell are on campus this weekend, too.

[Charleston Pony]

I like what I'm hearing about these guys. Along with Henderson, Wilson gives SMU another little scat back type. Anyone remember ShanDerrick Charles? I like those little guys who are quick hitting the holes and like to run north/south. Looks like Bennett is also addressig the depth issue at LB, too.

[Boston Pony]

Patrick Ewing was from Cambridge MA (Rindge & Latin Prep School). Framingham is about 15 miles west of Boston. It plays in the same conference as Natick (Doug Flutie).