College coaches will have the chance to meet and evaluate the country’s next generation of young fishing talent when the 4th annual Bassmaster High School Combine kicks off Friday on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala. The Combine gives young anglers the opportunity to show off their skills and meet with coaches to discuss taking their fishing aspirations to the next level at colleges and universities around the country.
More than $7 million in scholarships were offered over the course of the first three Combines, and now 97 anglers and representatives from 27 schools will be on hand in Decatur to discuss the potential for a future in competitive bass fishing.
“We look forward to the Bassmaster High School Combine each year,” said Angela Mayo, head coach for the Catawba Valley Community College Red Hawks fishing team. “As a community college, we don't have the resources that many of the other colleges and universities have at their disposal. The Combine gives us the opportunity to see so many talented anglers together in one place, in one weekend. We have signed five anglers in just the last two years because of the Combine.
“The Combine also gives us an avenue to let people know about all the great things we have going on at CVCC, especially our Marine Mechanical Technology program,” Mayo went on to say. “We have built the only two-year degree in the country in which a student can graduate as a fully certified Yamaha and Mercury Outboard technician. As a trade-focused school, we fill a need for those students that don't necessarily want to attend a four-year school but want to fish at the collegiate level. The Combine gives us an outlet to connect with those students.”
The High School Combine affords anglers the opportunity to demonstrate their on-the-water skills in three different disciplines — Casting Distance, Technical and Casting Accuracy. Each of the disciplines will operate on a point system and will be timed by an official judge. There are bonus points opportunities in addition to the skills challenges that include a safety quiz, a knot-tying test and a one-cast challenge.
After the first day of the Combine, schools may select anglers for a “second look” to further evaluate the potential fit for their fishing program.
“Attending the Bassmaster High School Combine is a great experience for the up-and-coming angler who is looking to fish at the next level,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. tournament manager for the College, High School and Junior Series. “Being under one roof with 25 or more of the best colleges in the country and being able to meet with the coaches is an invaluable experience.”
The following colleges have committed to participating in the Bassmaster High School Combine:
Auburn University (Auburn, Ala.)
Bethel University (McKenzie, Tenn.)
Blue Mountain Christian University (Blue Mountain, Miss.)
Bryan College (Dayton, Tenn.)
Campbellsville University (Campbellsville, Ky.)
Carson-Newman University (Jefferson City, Tenn.)
Catawba Valley Community College (Hickory, N.C.)
Dallas Baptist University (Dallas, Texas)
Drury University (Springfield, Mo.)
East Texas Baptist University (Marshall, Texas)
Emmanuel University (Franklin Springs, Ga.)
Erskine College (Due West, S.C.)
Faulkner University (Montgomery, Ala.)
Kentucky Christian University (Grayson, Ky.)
Lander University (Greenwood, S.C.)
Louisiana State University Shreveport (Shreveport, La.)
Murray State College (Tishomingo, Okla.)
Murray State University (Murray, Ky.)
Southeastern University (Lakeland, Fla.)
Tennessee Wesleyan University (Athens, Tenn.)
University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.)
University of Montevallo (Montevallo, Ala.)
University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.)
University of Pikeville (Pikeville, Ky.)
University of South Carolina Union (Union, S.C.)
Wabash Valley College (Mt. Carmel, Ill.)
Webber International University (Babson Park, Fla.)
