(above photo) Kion Young (2) blocks an extra point against Northwest Guilford.

On February 1st. Glenn Bobcat senior football player Kion Young signed his letter of intent to accept a four year, full ride scholarship to attend Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, NC.  Young was a standout defensive back for the Bobcats last season.

He has played football at Glenn all four years in high school. three years on the varsity and one year on the junior varsity as a freshman.  He started out as a linebacker and was moved to free safety in his senior year.  Kion will have a chance to earn playing time as a freshmen free safety at Fayetteville State according to their coaches.

The fact that he was offered a full ride scholarship by Fayetteville State still has Kion wondering if he is dreaming.  “I can’t believe that I got a full ride, I am so thankful,” said Young.

“Fayetteville just came out of nowhere,” Young said.  Kion is a student assistant for Glenn head football coach Aldine Payne and on the day that the one of the coaches from Fayetteville State stopped by to see coach Payne, Kion was asked to meet the gentleman at the main office and bring him to the coaches office.  On the walk back to coach Payne’s office Kion said he and this gentleman struck up a conversation.  Kion had no idea who this coach was, or where he was from.  “You look mighty studious son,” said the coach to Kion.  “Yes sir, I am,” replied Kion.  “Are you really studious, or are you just putting on an act,” asked the coach.  “Yes sir, I am really studious, I am a student before I am an athlete,” Kion told the coach.  “I really like that,” said the coach.  The coach was Marcus Gladden, the offensive line coach for the Fayetteville State University Broncos.

Kion Young

Young says he could tell that this coach  was still interested in him because he kept talking about Kion with coach Payne. Kion was called back to coach Payne’s office after weightlifting and was told that “this coach ” was really interested in him.  “I showed them three plays and they were ready to sign you on the spot,” Payne told Kion.

Kion was told to call Fayetteville State right away because they may have something to offer him.  Kion thought he might get a partial scholarship or some financial aid, but he never dreamed of what they were going to offer.  “After the coach told me what he liked about me and how I could fit into his team and how I could make his team a better team, at the end of the conversation he said ,son a full ride is on the table, and  I said are you serious coach.” said Young.  “Yes sir,” replied the coach.  “My name and full scholarship have never been in the same sentence, so my eyes got really big!” recalls Young.

A few days later Kion and his parents made the trip to Fayetteville to meet the coaches and take a tour of the campus.  “I really liked the campus and they treated us really great,” said Young.  Kion said they showed him his dorm room, which is in one of the nicer dorms on campus, not because he is a football player, but because of his high academic standing.  Remember what Kion told the coach, I am a student before I am an athlete.  “On that day I committed to Fayetteville State,” said a smiling Kion.

Kion aspires to become a lawyer someday, but he also has thoughts of going to the NFL after his collegiate playing days are over.

Kion says that the one thing that he will always remember about his days at Glenn High School was his relationship with Coach Payne.  He says that coach Payne helped build the foundation for his hard work ethic, and to never settle for the average.  Kion said that coach Payne stressed the importance of “team” and that you can not be successful without the help of those around you.

Coach Payne is extremely proud of Kion.  “I am a little bit closer to Kion than I am to the other players, said coach Payne, I coached him as a sophomore linebacker before I became head coach and I have seen him grow up in the weight room and the class room, and he is my student assistant.”  “Kion wants to be the best in everything he does, it goes from the way he dresses to his academics, to the field.” said Payne.  “Every college coach that met Kion was impressed by the way he dressed and that’s how he got Fayetteville State’s attention,” said coach Payne.

Kion was being recruited by other schools and was on Elon’s radar for a while.  “Elon came down and told us that they would not be offering Kion a scholarship, which was a low point for this young man, but then all of a sudden he is offered a full ride to Fayetteville State, which was a real high point for Kion and his family.” coach Payne said.

As Kion and I sat and talked in coach Payne’s office on Monday several coaches would pop in the door and when they saw Kion they all said, “Congratulations” and then they looked at me and said, “this kid is a hard worker and a great young man.”

With the ambitious goal of playing in the NFL and going through law school Kion has his work cut out for him.  “I don’t have any doubt that he will accomplish anything that he sets out to do,” was coach Payne’s response.

For the young athletes out there that are considering a college career in sports, you might take a lesson from this story.  You only have one chance to make a first impression.  It is very important how you present yourselves.  Kion says too many great athletes just don’t get it!

Kion is a great example of putting the word “student” back into the student athlete.

Good luck with your career as a Bronco!!!