High school sports can lead to life-changing opportunities, and it happens year after year in Union County.
football products. The rising senior at Piedmont High is going to play football at Harvard University. He was presented the opportunity by the Harvard coaching staff on Tuesday and after mulling it over with his parents on Thursday night, accepted on Friday around 10 a.m.
"It's too good of an opportunity to pass up," Tripp said. "If you walk in the room with a Harvard degree, people are going to listen to you. It's one of the best schools in the country, in the world. Harvard is a dream school." Tripp, a 6-foot-6 quarterback, turned down a full scholarship to play football at Alabama Birmingham, and could have opted for all-expenses-paid offers to play basketball for The Citadel or West Point.
Tripp said there was no hesitation about turning down full scholarship offers to UAB and The Citadel to go to Harvard, which will cost more than $60,000 per year.
The Ivy League plays Division I sports, but does not award any athletic scholarships. "We understand that's a hurdle, but they do a lot of grant money, and they do low-interest student loans," Tripp said.