Bond follows coach’s path
Published Thursday, February 5, 2009
WINDSOR – Bertie High School’s Travis Bond is following in the footsteps of his coach.
Wednesday morning on National Signing Day for football, Bond signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Bond is following in the path of Bertie High School Head Football Coach Tony Hoggard, who was a standout for the Tarheels in the 1980s.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t exciting,” Hoggard said. “To coach someone at the high school you played at and then have them sign to play at the college you played at is thrilling.
“I think he made a great choice not only athletically, but academically,” he added.
Bond chose Butch Davis’ North Carolina team over Michigan, North Carolina State and East Carolina University.
When it came down to it, the senior three-sport athlete from Colerain said it was a mixture of things that led him to Chapel Hill.
“They have good coaching, I love the school and I believe it is a good choice as far as my major,” he said. “I also spent a lot of time with Coach (Sam) Pittman, the offensive line coach.”
Bond said he believes he has learned quite a bit at Bertie and that will help him as he makes the jump to collegiate football.
“It’s been fun. It’s been hard. It’s been a lesson,” he said of playing for the Falcons. “I will miss my coaches and my friends that I have played with.”
Bond started all four years of his prep career, playing on both the offensive and defensive lines. He will be playing offensive tackle when he heads to Chapel Hill.
A highly recruited lineman, Bond said he enjoyed the experience of recruiting. He said his favorite part was talking to the players and finding out about coaches from their standpoint.
He plans to major in Communications or Business at UNC-Chapel Hill and hopes to play in the National Football League upon graduation.
“I want to play in the NFL and buy my mother a big house,” he said.
Bond is the son of Sarah Outlaw and Charles Bond.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?
Comments
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)