After weeks of preparation and training, on May 8 over 160 of the most recruitable athletes in the Montgomery and Bucks County area competed in front of numerous college coaches to get their name on the map. The showcase took place at the high school.
With some athletes looking ahead into their future, being able to showcase their talents to coaches at the next level while in high school offers a chance for both sides to meet and understand each other.
“It started out with Souderton wanting players to have a platform to showcase their talents,” Showcase Director Paul Fargo said. “The ultimate goal being a high quality experience for the kids, but not at a high cost.”
With the showcase entering its third year, the program has seen many changes and improvements since its soft launch in 2023, as it started with just the “neighbors of Souderton,” which included Quakertown, Pennridge and North Penn.
“It started out that first year with really just the four of us, and then as word grew, we went to six teams last year and now we’re at nine teams this year,” Fargo said.
With an opportunity to showcase skill sets and talent to college coaches, junior wide receiver Timmy Meehan believes that the showcase is a good chance to show coaches how prepared he is.
“I think it’s really important because you can show yourself to college coaches and it gives you a really good opportunity to play college football,” Meehan said.
According to Athletic Director Dennis Stanton, he thinks the preparation of both the athletes and showcase directors both collarate to help one another.
“It is a great opportunity for our athletes to be seen by colleges and get their exposure,” Stanton said, “and Coach Fargo has spearheaded this operation for a couple of years and does a great job for the kids and the program.”
While the pressure of all the spectators could pose an issue for some players, junior quarterback Ben Walsh thinks otherwise and “tunes out the distractions.”
“I do not think it will be a huge problem with everyone watching because we all play on Friday nights in the fall,” Walsh said.
While the Buxmont Showcase has already grown to nine high school teams and many colleges visiting, Fargo hopes to see even more growth in the foreseeable future.
“If the demand continues to grow, we’ve talked about maybe doing two different events, either two different locations,” Fargo said.
For sophomore fullback Chris Ormeno, participating is “a blessing” to him.