Spain Park celebrates National Signing Day
Spain Park is sending 12 student-athletes to play sports at the college level.
Those 12 students were honored on Wednesday morning in a ceremony held in the Spain Park High School gymnasium, as each came to the stage and posed for photos with their respective families.
Seven will move on to play football, two will play softball, and one each will play baseball, golf, and soccer.
Wade Streeter is a multi-sport athlete, playing on the football and baseball teams at Spain Park, but will attend Miles College to play football.
"Miles is a school that is growing, and I feel like I can grow there -- academically, athletically, and just be able to prosper there," he said.
With Miles being so close to home, Streeter will only be a short drive away from the support of his family and future alma mater.
"I will be able to visit Spain Park as much as I would like to, and I love that. I want to be able to come back and see (head football) Coach (Shawn) Raney and my teammates," he said.
Perry Young stayed true to his commitment to play football at the University of Cincinnati under former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville.
"Today is what guys like me dream about -- what we've been working so hard for," Young said. "To sit in this moment with all my other senior guys, it's a real blessing."
In the opposite situation as Streeter, Young has chosen to attend a school a long way from home. But the family atmosphere at Cincinnati drew him in.
"Growing up in the South my whole life and now going up north, I was a bit iffy about it at first. But just being with those guys up there, it really set the difference for me. It felt like home up there," Young said.
Markell Clark is a unique football signee, as he plans to attend the United States Naval Academy. Playing football at Navy is not as simple as that, as going to Navy is a lifestyle commitment.
"First and foremost, the military aspect of it. Everybody on the team, they call it a brotherhood," he said. "I won't let somebody drop and they won't let me drop. We'll just build that bond."
But the school and its football team carry some positive weight as well.
"They have great academics, not to mention the benefits that you get after. They have the No. 18 team in the country, and that's always a plus," he said.
The rest of the signees honored on Wednesday are:
Peyton Bisso - University of North Georgia, soccer.
Destini England - UAB, softball.
Hayden Freeman - Florida Southwestern State, baseball.
Chester Hutcherson - Tuskegee University, football.
Thomas Luther - University of North Alabama, golf.
Tyler Sumpter - Troy University, football.
Jonah Tibbs - Furman University, football.
Kynadi Tipler - Delaware State University, softball.
Chase Young - Lindsey Wilson College, football.
Perry Young - University of Cincinnati, football.
See the report from Hoover High School's national signing day ceremony.