What's in the Water at Holy Cross?

When you consider that less than one percent of all high school football players go on to play at the college ranks, it's a great day when a high school football program has a player with the grades and the talent to play collegiate football. So what is to be said for a Class A team right here in Jefferson County that has nine former players all playing college football this fall--six of them in Division I? Impressive! Considering the average size of its varsity teams, the Holy Cross Cougars have more than triple the national average number of players at the collegiate level. Every year, 10 to 15 college coaches from all divisions visit Holy Cross to meet these players. Why has Holy Cross been so successful at getting Cougars into college programs? Head coach Dave Weston believes it is because the college coaches know how he trains players and how the school prepares them academically. "College football coaches in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee consistently recruit our student-athletes because they know the quality of our school, our football program and the quality of our players," he says. "Our athletes who will be playing college football this fall excelled in the classroom, had high ACT scores, were coached in a disciplined, winning tradition and took advantage of our training facility." says Weston. "They worked hard to get bigger, faster and stronger. Also, playing one of the toughest Class A schedules in the state, including non-district opponents from 4A, 5A and 6A, helped these players understand that the simple will to win can make you successful." The Holy Cross coaching staff aggressively promotes their players to over 30 regional colleges. Weston, who has been at Holy Cross since 1990, has known many of these coaches for a number of years. Recently, colleges in Minnesota and Pennsylvania have recruited players as well. Weston expects three or four of this year's senior Cougars to be recruited to play college football in 2009. Of Holy Cross' nine players in college, the only senior this year is Nick Borgelt at the University of Louisville, who will graduate in 2009. A second team center behind All-American Eric Wood, Nick was highly recruited and could have started as an offensive lineman at several other colleges, but decided on U of L. For this decision, he now proudly wears his Orange Bowl Championship ring. Nick credits his experience at Holy Cross with motivating him to achieve all he can in life. "The teachers and football coaches at Holy Cross inspired me to become a leader, challenged me to be better and empowered me to achieve more in life," he says. "They taught me that our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but by how we react to what happens and what we bring to life. I was taught that if you don't grind, you won't shine."