For many, it began on youth football fields across South Florida with the same objective. Learn enough and work hard enough to one day have a college education paid for.

This Wednesday, Feb. 4, years of hard work and sacrifices will pay off as National Signing Day 2009 will provide that opportunity for so many to realize that dream of playing football and receiving a college education.

While times have changed, and will continue to shift in these trying economic times, the one thing that so many of these young men have to hold onto is the quality football they have been taught by so many of our area coaches through the years.

Not just on the football field, but in all sports as member schools of the BCAA, athletes have been afforded that opportunity to reach the next level, and often times it is as simple as making the grade in the classroom, which is something that is overlooked on such a prestigious day.

The theme of student/athlete has been lost and clouded by sports. Many of the young men and women would never have the opportunity to move on to that next level without working hard in the classroom, and as we sit here on such an important week, I feel that it’s time to also reach out and congratulate our teachers, who may not know what a fair catch or three-pointer means, but those who understand the value of an education.

For this class of football player, it was a labor of love that included camps and other instructional events that have aided along the way.

Let us not forget how important the BCAA has been along the way, providing an opportunity for colleges to get a better look at athletes via combine events, where running and lifting have given colleges numbers to start with.

Events that have contributed to this day are often overlooked, and with coaches working overtime to help athletes achieve goals, I want to say thank you for that extra phone call you made when your own family at home tries to cope with making ends meet.

Never one to receive any accolades is our own Damian Huttenhoff. This is someone who simply never turned his back when it would have been the easy thing to do in the face of budget cuts. He knows the importance of athletics in the future of this society.

From weekly spotlights on the BCAA website to promoting athletes at banquets, all-star games and other promotional events, Damian has been relentless in his quest to make sure that every young man and woman is on a level playing field with the rest of the country.

It’s people like him who should sit back on this signing day and know that he and his hard-working staff are directly responsible for making these dreams come true.

As someone who has spent enough time promoting athletes, I fully recognize what this all means, and having been associated with the BCAA for many years, I also understand the fight that has gone on to keep athletics on front burner, especially during financial times that have taken jobs and made living a lot tougher.

I know that our teachers and coaches are underpaid, and while there is no immediate solution, something in the near future will turn this all around, and those who have sacrificed and stayed the course, will certainly be rewarded.

Today, we will give a list of football players who have made that difference and will have that opportunity, thanks in a major part to those close in their lives, to move on to the next level.

While there are some players not listed, many are currently still working out those opportunities and will also move on to the next level. In future columns, I will also add those who have signed to attend schools across the country.

BETHUNE COOKMAN: Omar Ambersley, DE, 6-3, 250, Plantation; Gabriel Encarnacion, OL, 6-1, 260, McArthur; Greg Smith, OLB, 6-0, 215, Hallandale.

BUCKNELL: Brandon Pinnock, WR, 5-10, 175, Northeast.

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT: Joseph Fitzpatrick, TE, 6-4, 220, Cardinal Gibbons.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN: Ronnie Kennedy, DB/WR, 5-7, 155, St. Thomas Aquinas.

COLGATE: Jamar Brown, RB, 5-7, 160, South Broward.

CONNECTICUT: Dwayne Difton, WR, 5-11, 166, St. Thomas Aquinas.

DUKE: Austin Gamble, LB, 6-1, 225, Cypress Bay.

EASTERN ILLINOIS: Amari Sapp, DB, 5-10, 175, Cypress Bay.

FAU: Tyrie Allen, RB, 5-9, 180, Western; Travis Cox, DB, 5-11, 180, South Plantation; Jamal Davis, WR, 6-3, 185, Coral Springs Charter; Carlton Falconer, OL, 6-4, 295, Dillard; Damion Fortner, RB, 5-9, 180, Everglades.

FIU: Derek Wimberly, OL, 6-4, 275, Hallandale.

GEORGETOWN: Jordan Cohen, TE, 6-2, 245, Cooper City.

GEORGIA TECH: Carl Miles, DB, 5-11, 170, Cypress Bay.

INDIANA STATE: C.J. Ulyses, DB, 5-9, 170, Cypress Bay.

KANSAS: Deshaun Sands, RB, 5-9, 180, Piper.

KANSAS STATE: Courtney Thompson, QB/DB, 6-0, 180, Everglades.

LAFAYETTE: Eric Jones, DB, 6-0, 180, Plantation.

LANE (Tn.) COLLEGE: Robert Hernandez, OL, 6-0, 270, Hallandale; Demerrick Goolsby, OL, 6-1, 280, Hallandale; Cleveland Seymour, S/LB, 6-1, 195, Hallandale.

LOUISVILLE: Isaac Geffard, DB, 6-3, 185, Northeast; Jacob Geffard, DB, 6-0, 190, Northeast.

MARSHALL: Marques Aiken, DE, 6-4, 217, Boyd Anderson; Phil Walker, LB, 6-2, 220, Cypress Bay.

MASSACHUSETTS: William Nesselt, DL,  6-3, 250, St. Thomas Aquinas.

MEMPHIS: Jacky Candy, DB, 5-10, 190, Coffeyville CC/Stranahan.

MIAMI: Jermaine Johnson, OL, 6-6, 314, Hargrave Military/St. Thomas Aquinas; Brandon McGee, DB, 5-11, 180, Plantation.

MICHIGAN: Vladimir Emilien, S, 6-1, 190, Plantation.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE: Roderic Blunt, LB, 6-1, 215, Everglades.

MISSISSIPPI: Korvic Neat, WR, 5-9, 160, Hallandale.

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE: Tony Porter, LB, 5-11, 180, Northeast.

MISSOURI VALLEY: Roderick Lott, LB, 5-11, 190, Hallandale.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS: Devon Buler, LB, 5-10, 200, Everglades.

NOTRE DAME: Jordan Cowart, LS, 6-2, 225, St. Thomas; Ben Turk, P, 5-11, 180, St. Thomas.

OHIO STATE: Duron Carter, WR, 6-3, 185, St. Thomas.

OREGON STATE: Conroy Black, DB, 6-1, 185, Fullerton CC/Miramar.

PITTSBURGH: Jason Douglas, RB, 5-6, 176, Cypress Bay; Shane Gordon, LB, 6-1, 230, Cypress Bay.

PURDUE: Gabrison Holmes, TE/WR, 6-5, 200, St. Thomas Aquinas; Xavier Reese, WR, 6-2, 180, Northeast.

SACRED HEART: James Rogers, LB, 6-1, 215, Cardinal Gibbons.

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE: Mike Flash, OL, 6-2, 305, Northeast.

TROY: Demarcus Robertson, DB, 5-10, 190, Garden City CC/Piper.

USF: Ricardo Dixon, DB, 5-11, 175, Hallandale; Stephen Jacques, OL, 6-4, 277, South Broward; Victor Marc, RB, 6-0, 210, Hallandale; Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, 6-5, 280 (Fort Scott CC – Deerfield Beach).

WEST VIRGINIA: Steadman Bailey, WR, 6-0, 185, Miramar; Eugene Smith, QB, 6-3, 190, Miramar.

WISCONSIN: David Gilbert, 6-4, 200, Northeast; Connor O’Neil, LB, 6-1, 195, St. Thomas; Dezmen Southward, S, 6-1, 200, St. Thomas Aquinas.

YALE: Dylan Drake, OLB/DE, 6-1, 190, St. Thomas Aquinas.

NEXT WEEK: Winter sports playoffs continue to take center stage.

You can reach Larry Blustein via e-mail at FloridaKids1@hotmail.com. He can also be heard every Thursday night (9-10) on the Miami Dolphins High School Gridiron Report on WQAM (560 AM).