Valley athletes Division I bound

J's World, by Jeremiah Bartz

It is an important time of year for many high school athletes nationwide. This week student-athletes across the country are making one of the most important decisions of their life, and making it final.

They are signing a National Letter of Intent to participate in the sport of their choice at the collegiate level.

The Valley had two very significant signings this week. Wasilla basketball star Ray Schafer is Oregon bound and Colony cross-country standout is running all the way to Montana.

Both are incredible, since both are Division I programs.

Short of Jessica Moore signing with Connecticut and winning a national title, it might be difficult to find a higher profile signing than Schafer inking his letter with Oregon.

Alaskan athletes are finally getting recognized. Much of the publicity goes to the likes of Carlos Boozer, Trajan Lagndon and Scott Gomez, but there are countless others appearing on college rosters nationwide and making a serious impact.

Anchorage and Fairbanks are not the only local spots the scouts are paying attention too. Schafer and Colberg are proof of that.

Seeing local athletes compete on the next level is incredible motivation for the younger student-athletes climbing up the high school ranks. It is possible for a Palmer, Wasilla or Houston resident to be a Division I caliber athlete.

Next season when local kids see Schafer on ESPN taking on the likes of Arizona and UCLA, local players will no it is possible for a kid from a school of less than a thousand from a town with just a few thousand in the least populated state in the nation to truly hit the big time.

Jeremiah Bartz is the sports editor for the Frontiersman.