By Abbey Frail, News Editor
For many seniors, spring is the time of year when their stress level drops significantly because they have made their college choice. Four Reynolds seniors enjoyed added relief last month when they signed their National Letter of Intent in a special ceremony in the media center.
A National Letter of Intent, or NLI, is a binding agreement between a student-athlete and his or her future school.
“When you sign, you are expected to attend that school,” Reynolds Athletics Director Brad Fisher said. Fisher helps organize the Demons’ signing day and even faxes the NLI on to the colleges.
The student must sign along with a parent or guardian, and the college coach must not be present at the signing for the NLI to be considered valid. If someone wants to attend a different school after signing, he or she must request to be released.
For these Reynolds athletes, signing is a moment of validation, that all of their hard work and dedication has paid off.
“It was without a doubt one of the best days of my life,” said Hanif Bilal, who signed a full scholarship to play basketball at Winston-Salem State University.
Bilal decided on WSSU because the Rams remained interested in him even after the knee injury he suffered last year. Hunter Fleming, who will play basketball at High Point University, had a similar recruiting experience thanks to a pair of knee injuries. She elected to join the Panthers after being offered a major academic scholarship.
“The fact that they (High Point) were still willing to give me an opportunity to play after my injury ensured their commitment to me,” Fleming said.
They will compete at the NCAA Division I level. Also signing this year in the spring period was Bailey Tyner, who committed to play football at Hampden-Sydney College in central Virginia. For Tyner, the Division III athletic program fit everything he was looking for in a school academically, socially and athletically. Terrell Jones also signed an NLI to basketball at Brevard College, a D-II school in the North Carolina mountains about three hours from home.
“I like the school up there and I like the coach, and the classes are small,” Jones said.
Not to be forgotten among this year’s crop of athletes is Jack Riazzi, who took advantage of the early signing period and signed his NLI to play tennis at D-I Davidson College on Nov. 13.
“I signed early because the opportunity presented itself at the time,” Riazzi said. “When I visited Davidson I felt it was where I wanted to be academically as well as for my tennis.”
Not only is signing a big accomplishment for the athletes, it speaks well of a high school and its athletic department. That’s why most schools hold signing ceremonies for the athletes and their relatives, coaches, teachers and teammates.
“It promotes our athletic department,” Fisher said. “It also motivates younger players to work hard, and shows them that dedication pays off.”
These athletes will have their fair share of great memories from high school, but signing day will be one they always look back on fondly.
“Sharing signing day with friends of mine was a memorable experience I’ll never forget,” Fleming said.