Student athletes celebrate signing for colleges

Fabrizio Orsi de Paula, Editor/ business manager/ cartoonist|February 8, 2017

Family members, coaches and friends gather as seven student athletes culminate years of practice in their respective sports, signing for their universities of choice.

“It’s great; all of those kids and their families have made tremendous sacrifices to develop their skills as athletes,” athletic director Kevin Donahue said. “For them to get an opportunity to continue to participate at the collegiate level is really special. It’s nice that we can get them all together and give them a moment to celebrate, because they’ve worked hard before and they’re certainly going to have to work hard for a spot on the team in college.”

Seven seniors signed on Feb. 1: Zach Matovski and Nino Evola for Northwood men’s soccer, Matthew Surma and Salvator Vultaggio for Northwood football, Jack Provencher for Grand Valley State football and Gabriala Jodzis for Michigan State women’s soccer. Alexandra Guido, who couldn’t make it to the event, signed for Baldwin Wallace women’s soccer.

“Playing in college is kind of a bonus,” Donahue said. “It’s a choice that each kid makes on their own. In our athletic program, kids are learning life skills; how to compete, how to sacrifice, how to get along with others and to grow that skill set so they can have a good life, not necessarily a good sports career. [It] provides a variety of opportunities for kids to find something that they’re passionate about and to set goals, so that’s what we’re here for as an athletic department. The fact that they get a college scholarship or a partial scholarship and the opportunity to continue to play is just the icing on the cake.”

Zach Matovski talked to Madonna University, Sienna Heights, Oakland and Michigan State before signing for Northwood. He picked them because of their campus, soccer program and offer.

“I’m excited to get with the team,” Matovski said. “It’s a new start and it will be fun, because we’ll play Michigan State and Oakland in preseason. I know a lot of boys on the team right now. I’m actually going to room with one of my teammates from Vardar.”