ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Avery Henry has admitted that he didn’t develop up as a die-hard Ohio State soccer fan.
As of late Tuesday, there will not be an even bigger — actually or figuratively — Buckeye fan in Belmont County.
Henry — a four-year mainstay for the Crimson Devils — known as members of the Buckeyes teaching workers, together with head coach Ryan Day, and supplied his verbal dedication to hitch the Ohio State College soccer program subsequent fall.
“It feels nice to be part of one of many best school soccer applications in historical past,” Henry stated. “I can’t wait to see what the longer term holds for me as Buckeye.”
Henry will formally signal his Nationwide Letter of Intent on Wednesday, Dec. 15 throughout the NCAA Soccer early signing interval.
That is truly the second school dedication that Henry has made. Throughout the summer season, he gave a verbal to Iowa State. After cautious consideration and plenty of conversations along with his household, the 12-hour drive of almost 800 miles was merely farther away from dwelling than Henry wished to go.
“Iowa State is a good program and the coaches had been very good to me,” Henry admitted.
With the space in thoughts, Henry and some members of his household had been in Ohio Stadium for the win over Akron on Sept. 25. The very subsequent day, on his Twitter account, Henry introduced he was decommitting from the Cyclones.
“It was exhausting,” Henry stated of the conversaion with Iowa State. “My household and I had talked and considered it for a number of weeks. It was simply too distant and never quite a lot of my household would be capable of come and watch the video games.”
Henry, nevertheless, left Columbus that night time with no formal provide. However, Buckeye coaches had advised him and St. Clairsville head coach Brett McLean that they deliberate to come back to a recreation to observe him play.
That occurred final Thursday when offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa watched the primary half of the Crimson Devils’ 35-0 victory towards Wheeling Central.
“Earlier than the sport, Coach McLean and I talked concerning the (Ohio State) coaches being right here and he advised me to simply play and deal with it like an everyday recreation,” Henry stated. “Coach McLean stated, ‘work as exhausting as potential’ as a result of even when they weren’t there, I nonetheless needed to carry out and do every part proper to assist our group.”
Henry clearly did his half.
On Monday night, Henry introduced that he had talked with Day and Studrawa and acquired a proper scholarship provide.
“Coach Stud was congratulating me (on the provide) after which Coach Day received on the telephone and requested me what I considered Ohio State,” Henry stated. “I advised him how prestigious of a faculty I believed it was and he then supplied me.”
It wasn’t simply what the Buckeye coaches noticed towards the Knights that landed Henry the provide. In doing their homework on him, the Buckeyes found that Henry had spent the spring and summer season engaged on his physique to the purpose the place he’d dropped 75 kilos.
“Coach Stud advised me ‘guys such as you who’re keen to lose 75 kilos to play the game they love’ are the varieties of guys they wished,” Henry stated.
Henry’s weight-loss plan wasn’t difficult. Fairly merely, he cleaned up his weight-reduction plan and exercised rather a lot.
“I used to be consuming a complete lot of grilled hen, protein shakes and consuming three, good meals a day,” Henry stated. “Plus, I might run twice a day and carry for my third exercise of the day. It was exhausting, however I knew it was one thing that needed to be carried out if I used to be going to be nice.”
The burden loss has allowed Henry to turn into extra of a two-way participant for the Crimson Devils, who’re sitting at 8-1 coming into this week’s common season finale towards Cambridge.
Enjoying highschool ball at 6-7, 300 kilos makes Henry the largest man on the sector principally each week. Nonetheless, he identified that many of the defensive linemen taking part in main, school soccer will probably be as massive as he’s, so he’s not happy.
“I felt good at 330, however I wished to lose some extra (weight) and put extra muscle on,” Henry stated. “The largest adjustment will probably be dealing with guys at just about the identical measurement day by day, however I would like and wish to be pushed.”
That need for enchancment and work ethic is one other space through which Henry was drawn to Ohio State. Clearly, he’d like to play as a lot and as early in his profession as potential. However, clearly the Buckeyes are recruiting at a really excessive stage, so there’s greater than loads of competitors for positions. Day has stated many instances that gamers don’t come to Ohio State except they wish to compete.
Henry is effectively conscious of that, too. Really, he admitted he’d be okay with taking a pink shirt if that’s what the teaching workers thinks is greatest for his improvement.
The prospect for improvement — as a participant — was one in all many promoting factors for Henry.
Being a fan and being a participant are a lot completely different. When Henry sat right down to take an in-depth have a look at Ohio State’s program, the chance was just too good to show down.
“It’s the perfect of the perfect at Ohio State,” Henry stated. “Whether or not it’s the lecturers, the trainers, coaches, services and every part concerned, I truthfully couldn’t count on something extra from a school.”
Because the Crimson Devils’ playoff video games will probably be staged on Friday nights this 12 months, Henry plans to go to for one more recreation later within the season, however wasn’t positive which one.
Although he indicators in December, Henry gained’t enroll at OSU till June. He plans to play basketball this winter.
