There’s nothing quite like the real thing.
When it comes to signing day, though — despite social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders put in place to slow the spread of coronavirus — Big Walnut managed to come pretty close to replicating the event athletes, administrators and fans have come to know and love.
Instead of a ceremony at the school, with the athletes signing all at once, they were asked to record a video of the process on their own.
“As an AD, college signing day is my favorite day of the year,” Big Walnut Athletic Director Brian Shelton said in a post on the school’s athletic website. “I’m sad I couldn’t provide an in-person ceremony for my student-athletes due to COVID-19 restrictions, but I asked each one to send a video and pics of signing at home.
“They did a great job … I’m so proud of them and I wish them all the best.”
The school posted the videos on its athletic website (bigwalnutathletics.net) last week.
Ohio Northern proved to be a popular landing spot as four former Golden Eagles, three football players and a softball standout, committed to be Polar Bears at the next level.
Ryan Coletta, Bryce Wardlow and Jacob Ronk all signed to play football at Ohio Northern while Sierra Perry, a softball standout, also announced she’d be attending the private university in Ada, Ohio.
Johnny Grumney and Tyler Paul, both lacrosse players, signed to play at Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Lourdes University, respectively, while Aliya Martin, who made it all the way to the first-ever Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association Girls State Tournament at Hilliard Davidson this past winter, will take her talents to Tiffin University.
Other signees included Jackson Podraza, who is headed to Ohio State to compete on the men’s track and field team; and Jayden Thomas, who will play soccer at Tiffin.
