The Galen Center lobby was buzzing with excitement! Why not! Coach Clay Helton and his staff had just garnered a tremendous 2017 football recruiting class.
Trojan Candy walked around the lobby looking first of all for USC Spring football recruits who were already enrolled at USC. I saw several friends in the process.
Just while I was standing near the check-in desk, Scott Jacobson met with two USC football recruits who had just walked in and who are already enrolled in the Spring 2017 semester. Quickly, I introduced myself to one of the recruits. Damon Johnson, a five-star long snapper, posed for this picture and let me interview him. Damon, who is from Glendale, is majoring in Communication. His favorite food is steak. Damon's favorite movie is "The Blind Side." He likes to snowboard for fun. Damon told me that he has already met all of the other recruits. Trojan Candy wished that she could meet each of the recruits and interview them! FIGHT ON, Damon!
I quickly went over to the second USC football recruit. Scott was nice enough to tap him on the shoulder for me. Even more quickly, I introduced myself, took his picture and interviewed him. Quarterback Jack Sears posed for me. He is from San Clemente and is majoring in Business. Jack's favorite food is Mexican food. Trojan Candy teased him and told him, "You won't get Mexican food tonight. There will be prime rib." I saw a hint of a smile. Jack told me that his favorite movie is "Remember the Titans" and that he likes to play any sport for fun. Thank goodness Jack wants to play the sport of football at USC! FIGHT ON, Jack!
Five Spring recruits were supposed to come to the Recruiting Dinner tonight, but three of them had class. Trojan Candy hopes that I can eventually meet and interview Marion Tuipulotu, Taylor Katoa, and Andrew Vorhess.
Just as Trojan Candy almost reached the buffet table, I saw Coach Clay Helton with his wife Angela. He always poses for a picture for me. I'm sure Coach Helton remembers the first conversation that we had after he was named interim coach. During the first Monday Morning Quarterback meeting that he attended as interim coach, he told the audience that, "He was a teacher first." Being a retired teacher myself, I was the first one to approach him at the end of that MMQ. My exact words to him were, "I am a teacher myself, and when you said that you '...were a teacher first...,' right then I wanted you to be our head coach!" FIGHT ON, Coach Helton!
After getting my dinner, Trojan Candy took this picture of the fancy dessert.
Then the program began. Coach Helton announced our twenty-three football recruits one by one. Each new Trojan was shown on a big screen and Coach Helton showed some of the play highlights of each recruit. Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the first recruit, so my husband Jim scanned his picture in the Recruiting book that each attendee received. Here are our twenty-three new Trojans!
Then, the program ended with the Spirit of Troy playing "Conquest."
FIGHT ON, new USC Football Recruits!
As Trojan Candy was walking to the garage, I saw good friend John Jackson. He had just finished his weekly "Trojans Live" podcast program at the Lab Gastropub. John then posed with his program guest Ryan Abraham, Publisher/Owner of USCFootball.com.
What an exhilarating evening!
