Pittsburgh City League Boasts Some of PA’s Top Talent
by Ayo Fapohunda
Posted July 19, 2015 2:28 pm
Devon Madden, DeWayne Brown, James Jackson, Kenny Robinson, Manasseh Garner, Pittsburgh City League, Shadowing Student, Therran Coleman, Tim Jackson, Western Pennsylvania
Photo courtesy of Rivals.com
The past few months we have been pretty quiet at Preps.com getting ready for a milestone year with the first class we covered entering their senior academic year of college. Over the past few years we have followed high school football closely, particularly in Western Pennsylvania, and have enough stories to direct a trilogy.
One of the more consistent trends we have seen in our journey identifying under the radar talent, is the lack of exposure for athletes in inner city schools throughout the country. Despite a plethora of athletic talent walking through the hallways of these under resourced schools, it is rare to see division one universities lining up to get a shot at these student athletes due to various factors. Probably the most glaring issue that faces these young men is the lack of information about the college recruiting process. Having been around hundreds of recruiting processes, you start to realize that the process is less about talent, and more checking the boxes necessary to be a recruitable athlete. Things like grades, SAT’s, attending college camps, training and other fundamental undertakings are typically what separates the have and the have nots.
However, despite all these obstacles “city kids” typically face, the pendulum is being shifted in the city of Pittsburgh. Known for its hard-nosed blue collar mentality, the steel city is starting to breed some of the finest football talent in the country, right in the heart of the city. In the recent generation, guys like Manasseh Garner, Jaylen Coleman, and Tyrique Jarrett have received substantial attention, but not since the 80’s and 90’s has the Pittsburgh City League been the talk of the town.
With Pittsburgh City League MVP Therran Coleman leading the way, schools like Coleman’s Brashear, University Prep and Allderdice, have college recruiters dusting off their Pittsburgh City School phone directories.
Thanks to the efforts of Two Tenths Speed and Agility founder DeWayne Brown, and his partner Shadowing Student Athletes founder Devon Madden, new doors are being opened for young men in the city of Pittsburgh.
With offers out to Allerdice’s Jackson twins and University Prep’s Kenny Robinson, kids in the Pittsburgh city league can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. Knowing that the path to an athletic scholarship can start on the unkept practice fields of the Pittsburgh city league, should be motivation to any student athlete attending inner city schools that you don’t have to attend a suburban or catholic powerhouse to be noticed.
With other players emerging in the Pittsburgh City League, we are hoping at Preps.com, that not only Pittsburgh’s City League, but all inner city football leagues throughout the nation, may enter a golden era. Where the playing field for athletic scholarships is even, and inner city children can flourish, and represent their neighborhoods, potentially uplifting communities.
Keep checking in to Preps.com throughout the fall as we have new features being launched in August and updates on all your favorite high school athletes throughout the region.
Read more recruiting articles by Ayo Fapohunda
Follow Ayo Fapohunda on Twitter: @finestpreps
Email Ayo Fapohunda: ayo@preps.com
Add Ayo Fapohunda to your Google+ Circle
TAGS:
Devon Madden, DeWayne Brown, James Jackson, Kenny Robinson, Manasseh Garner, Pittsburgh City League, Shadowing Student, Therran Coleman, Tim Jackson, Western Pennsylvania