National Signing Day Comes to Barrington High School

For the first time in 21 years on Wednesday, a Barrington High School athlete signed a letter of intent to play football at a Division I level school.

Alex Spiess, Class of 2011, will be attending Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, next fall.  The standout defensive back said he chose Marist for the academics as well as the football program. 

The transition from high school to college football will be intensive, but Alex seems to be taking it in stride.  

“I’m very excited to represent Rhode Island," he said.

Coach William McCagney introduced Spiess with a few words of praise. 

“He deserves this,” he said. “We’ve had other players that could have gone, but they don’t.”

After the ceremony, Alex's mother, Deborah Baronas, shed some light on this cryptic remark.

“We talked to a lot of schools,” Baronas said, “and one thing we heard over and over was that they just don’t look at Rhode Island. We’re not on the map.  If you want to play, you’ve got to get out of the region.”

For student athletes seeking a broader stage, she recommends competing at the National Underclassmen Football Combines.  Spiess went to a regional competition at Tabor Academy in Marion, Mass. The top 50 players moved on to the conference level. After a trip to New Jersey for the Eastern Conference competition, Spiess went on to Oklahoma to compete on a national level.   

“For the first time,” Baronas said, “Alex realized he could run with the big dogs.”

Another way to catch the eyes of college coaches is to attend football camps.  Spiess attended camps at Boston College and Dean College in Franklin, Mass., both of which were attended by coaches from several colleges. 

“The camp at Dean was pretty good,” Baronas said. “But the best thing you can do is attend prospect camps at the colleges you’re interested in.”

She advises parents of student athletes to start the process early.  

“We started in the spring of Alex’s junior year," she said. "That’s too late.”  

She recommends starting the process in the freshman year. 

“The sophomore year isn’t too late, but don’t wait any longer,” she said.

Students interested in playing college sports need to prepare a submission package that includes a resume, a highlights video, and recommendation letters from coaches and guidance counselors.  While it’s possible for students and parents to compile a submission package, Baronas recommends using one of the online recruiters. 

“It’ll cost a few hundred dollars,” she said, “but coaches take a closer look at prospects listed on BeRecruited.com , Rivals.Com, or the NCSA.” (ncsasports.org)   

“Recruiters also help students define their goals, and match them with schools that are looking for their position.  The NCSA will stay with you through your college years and help with job placement after.”