Chapter 17 Jace's Choice

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[16/06/2021, Stanford stadium, 14:00]

In a well-lit room, within the Stanford campus, the figure of Jace could be seen sitting behind a wooden desk with a mike placed in front of him. On the Desk, in front of him, 7 baseball caps in various colours bearing the logo of prestige D1 school were neatly arranged in a row. The purple cap bearing the LSU log stood out alongside the blue cap containing the logo of a crocodile representing The University of Florida, both were in good company with names like the UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, South Carolina Bulldogs, Stanford Cardinal and last but not least the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The room was filled with figures of coaches, scouts and media personnel who had been in attendance throughout the Baller Series Combine hosted on the Stanford University campus. Plenty of players were also in attendance as they all eagerly anticipated who the number 3 ranked player in the state would decide to play for in the end. Jace didn't keep them waiting too long as he made, he spoke into the mike getting things underway.

Jace cleared his throat, glancing at the rows of reporters adjusting their cameras and voice recorders, each one angling for the perfect shot. The tension in the room was nearly tangible, coiled tight like a spring. He was no stranger to the spotlight—especially after his breakout performance in sophomore year.

This was different though; it was the decision that would shape the next few years of his life and potentially define his entire athletic career. All the coaches and scouts have been evaluating him like a prized stallion they wanted to acquire for their army to train into a warhorse. Well, he had been evaluating them too, not just him but also the players who had been stars all throughout high school were evaluating their potential colleges.

While most fought for a sliver of a chance to join a college team the privileged few were also evaluating the interest the colleges showed. Most colleges will send you a scholarship offer the moment you become hot but only a few actually have a plan for you. Whether they be good or bad most of these star players appreciate programs that have an idea of what is expected of them and how they will be utilised.

In Jace's case, he had been receiving offers throughout his junior year but only a few teams actually stuck with him. Most just cast a wide net and hope to reel in a few quality recruits to bolster their roster for the future. Before the Combine, he had narrowed his choices down to 4 but after the interviews, he got to see the genuineness of the offers and had to expand his choices to 7.

"First of all, I'd like to thank my Parents and coach Cash for supporting my journey at an early age, may they rest in peace," Jase stated before proceeding to bow his head taking a moment of silence. "I know I've frustrated most of you with my indecisiveness and for that, I don't apologise as this is the biggest decision I've had to make since choosing between football and soccer back in 06."

His words caused those in attendance to chuckle lightly but for the 7 teams still in contention this wasn't funny. They were the few who had either decided to wait it out or join the race for Jace's signature after their other plans fell through. A player of his calibre still being available this late in the year isn't something they had ever experienced, but with COVID messing up recruitment efforts this is that sort of year.

Mike the Gunslinger from Florida was another such player who shouldn't have been free this late in the year, giving Texas A&M a chance to confirm his signature earlier in the day. Getting a five-star recruit who is also ranked number one in his state, they quickly got rid of the three-star quarterback they had confirmed earlier in the year.

Jace exhaled, his eyes flickering over the seven caps laid out before him, each bearing the crest of a powerhouse football program. The cameras continued flashing, capturing the still frame of his pensive expression. This was a moment the sports world would dissect for at least a week before the next scandal arose. After months of being hammered by Zoom calls and official visits in the middle of a pandemic, their recruitment sagas were finally wrapping up.

Leaning forward, Jace let his fingers graze over each cap. He paused on the bright purple LSU hat, recalling how Coach Orgeron had personally driven down to watch one of his games last season, mask on, cheering from the sidelines. Then his hand wandered to the Gators cap; Dan Mullen's staff had relentlessly pursued him, promising a versatile offence that would allow him to shine in multiple roles.

However, he quickly realised that their decision to actively pursue him only arose when they decided that Mike might not commit to them. They were right to worry since the star QB had decided to go in a different direction stating the Texas offensive scheme suited him more. Next was UCLA which was the outlier among the 7 colleges since their recruitment of him was chaotic, especially with the shake-up their program had suffered.

Their athletic director, Head coach and even the media director were all given the boot for embezzlement and other offences. A couple of players decided to transfer, and some recruits decided to recommit to the colleges not trusting them any longer. Safe to say no self-respecting recruit wanted to join the Bruins highspeed train that was on a collision course.

So why was Jace considering them you might as ask? For the simple reason of Coach Baker, the new Bruins head coach. So, while most of their recruiters made fancy promises Coach Baker kept it real by listing out his strengths and weaknesses and making an enticing offer. However, with the offensive coach vying for a 4-star QB called Grege Simons his interest in the Bruins had cooled down.

"After careful consideration, I have decided to take my talents to..." Jace stated with a confident smile as he picked up the UCLA hat placing it on top of his head. Loud clapping ensued only to abruptly stop as he took off the hat and picked up the Gators' royal blue and orange hat.

His hand hovered over it for a moment, fingers brushing the alligator emblem. A ripple of anticipation swept through the gathered audience—coaches and scouts on high alert, each one leaning in a fraction closer. Florida's recruiting staff, bunched together near the middle of the room, braced themselves. Some already wore half-formed grins, expecting him to declare for the Gators then and there.

His left hand picked up the red Ohio state hat and his right the purple LSU hat as his head travelled from left to right to take in the intricate details. In the end, he did something surprising he tossed both of them behind him taken both colleges out of the running. "Ohio is too far from home, and I'm sure Miles will do a great job for the Tigers."

The reporters and scouts could only take his excuse at face value but only Jace knew that he was lying and simply didn't want to go to these schools. His reasons were as petty as the food spots not suiting his tastes and not liking the red kits of Ohio despite the program being his favourite. He also proceeded to push the Stanford, South Carolina, and Stanford hats off the table making his message clear. His message was clear he would pick between UCLA and USC keeping his talents local in LA.

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To Be continued...