Kenny Stills Plans Early Departure
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November 10, 2009
Filed under Featured Athlete, Sports
Wide receiver Kenny Stills, senior, is set to leave high school in the first week of December for college, pursuing more lucrative opportunities in football. But Stills has yet to select which college he will enroll in.
“I’m doing this so that it shoots me into my career,” Stills said, “I feel it gives more opportunity to be accomplished and I get to be a part of the team earlier.”
Thus far he has received scholarship offers from twenty five Division 1-A schools; fifteen of which he is considering enrolling in. The list of schools includes University of California Los Angeles, and Stanford University.
“I’ve visited all the California schools. I’m excited to use the six extra months that I have to become a part of a team and play with people that love the game as much as I do,” Stills said.
Stills uses current University of Southern California starting quarterback Matt Barkley as an example. Barkley graduated from high school on December 18, 2008 in order to pursue his football career earlier.
Stills stated that he feels closest to USC and the University of Oklahoma. Both these schools’ recruiters have spent the most time talking to Stills. However this does not finalize Stills’ decision of which school he will attend.
“My mind probably changes once or twice a week towards which school I want to go to,” Stills said, “I mean it’s great that they are trying to recruit me, but just because the school is close to me doesn’t mean I’m drawn only towards them.”
The attention that Stills has received from recruiting coaches from around the country has served as a distraction from his regular life. Stills has often received calls during class, forcing him to step outside and tell them politely to call back later.
“Generally the coaches talk to me about football first. They usually ask how the family is doing and treat me like I’m a family member of theirs. They emit a positive energy flow and sometimes they use girls as a motivation for me to attend their university,” Stills said.
Many scouts and football coaches from the National Collegiate Athletic Association have scouted Stills and his wide range of talents. One of the coaches, UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow, traveled from Pasadena, California to watch Stills and the team take on Santa Margarita High School.
In Stills’ mind however, the attention he receives should not solely be directed at him.
“It’s great to get looks and to showcase my talent in front of those who are watching, but I want people to see the other talent that’s on our football team. I’m more focused on our team winning a championship than leaving school early,” Stills said.
Educational opportunities are also a big factor in Stills’ decision of which college he chooses to attend.
“First of all, it’s about education,” Stills said. “then comes the team and your family. I want the team to be a family and share a bond with them. I don’t want one guy being a dictator and controlling the team.”
Stills is aware of the ramifications that surround his decision and realizes the responsibility that comes with it. The process has not been as easy as he has hoped for. At times indecision has tried to tear down Still’s dream of reaching football stardom. “Some days I love the attention and others I just wish all the publicity would go away. But overall I appreciate the experience I get from it and I thank God every day for giving me this opportunity,” Stills said.
Despite the opportunity that Stills has been given, people have generally shown a lack of support to his decision to depart High School early into order to reach college earlier.
“I get a lot of trash from my friends about it,” Stills said, “People usually ask ‘Why would you ever think of doing that?’ They don’t understand that this can make or break my career. Either I start towards it now or I’ll never get there.”
Stills’ teammates will be disheartened to see him leave so early. Many of them are his friends and are disappointed they won’t finish the rest of the year together.
“It’s sad to see him go,” starting quarterback Garrett Krstich, junior, said, “But at the same time it’s his choice whether he wants to leave or not. He’s a good friend and we’ll miss him.”
Teammates, fans and coaches have been in awe of Stills’ potential since the day he stepped on campus, but even Stills is willing to admit his game has room for improvement.
“I mainly want to work on my size, strength, and weight. I also need to make sure I keep the right attitude and help my team win a championship,” Stills said.
Stills hopes to get a return trip to Qualcomm Stadium and win another CIF Championship. His friends and teammates are ready to turn this dream into a reality in what would be a fitting end to Stills’ high school career.
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