Chelsea Athletics has a rich tradition of ducking high-level athletes. Many of these athletes have been and are being recruited to play their sports at colleges across the nation. This process can look like lots of different things for different recruits. Leila Wells’ (24’) recruiting process began very early for her talent in girl’s basketball. This early recruitment coincided with the country shutting down.

“It was tough, especially because my recruiting period was during COVID, so there was a pause in basketball and coaches couldn’t come out to see you,” Wells said. “They’re watching you through film, making it hard to evaluate you.”

Tyson Hill (24’) is a standout running back for the football team. Luckily, he has had two brothers who have gone through this process. The experience that his family has had in the recruitment process has been vital.

“My father figure has helped me a lot during this process because he’s been through it with my older brothers,” Hill said. “It’s him guiding me and telling me to take my time. Do what is right.”

Some recruits catch the eye of a program so hard that they end up doing something crazy. Jake Stephens (24’), a standout men’s basketball star, has had some dedicated coaches do everything they could to try to convince him to go to their school.

“I had a tournament in Grand Rapids. I didn’t play, and Quincy drove from Illinois to watch me sit on the bench,” Stephens said. “An eight-hour drive, just to watch me sit.”