The Oberlin football coaching staff recently an­nounced plans to host a one-day prospect camp on May 14. The goal of the camp is to bolster the program for future seasons by attract­ing recruits with potential both on the field and in the classroom.

The camp will be open to any high school student graduating in 2017 or 2018 and will be structured simi­larly to a combine. Athletes will be evaluated based on physical attributes such as height and weight and will complete speed tests like the 40-yard dash and the three-cone drill. They will also be tested using position-specif­ic drills.

In addition to demon­strating their skills to the Oberlin football coaching staff, the prospect camp will give recruits the opportu­nity to tour Oberlin’s ath­letic facilities and the rest of campus.

Head Coach Jay Anderson said the camp will allow the coaching staff to identify stu­dent athletes that have the potential to excel in both ath­letic and academic pursuits.

“This is a great opportu­nity to showcase our cam­pus and get some of the top academic kids from the Mid­west right here on our cam­pus,” Anderson said. “[It will] give them an opportunity to showcase their skillset and obviously teach the funda­mentals of the game.”

What sets Oberlin apart from other Ohio colleges and universities is the strength of its academics, which are statistically ranked highest in the state by Forbes Maga­zine. This can prove difficult for recruiting, because the football program and the Athletics Department as a whole set high standards for student-athletes on and off the field.

A testament to the culture Anderson is building is the fact that he has guided the program to a 3.0 team GPA for his past two seasons as head coach.

Additionally, Anderson and Recruiting Director Matt Coyne said they have high ex­pectations for the character of their current players and potential recruits, meaning their mental focus and com­mitment to whatever task befalls them, whether it be games or other challenges.

“There is a direct carry-over from the classroom onto the field,” Anderson said. “If you can compete in the class­room, you will be able to compete on the football field and start winning games.”

Coyne said the value An­derson places on well-round­ed players has already led to significant improvement within the program.

“The evolution of the pro­gram since Coach Anderson has arrived has been great,” Coyne said. “Coach Ander­son is not only trying to get wins on the playing field, he is [also] trying to change the football culture at the school. He wants members of the Oberlin community, like professors, conserva­tory students and more, to become more involved in the program.”

Under Anderson’s lead­ership, Oberlin football amassed three of the largest recruiting classes in program history. The squad finished the 2015 season 3–7, but the young team looks to improve in 2016 with the help of an­other strong recruiting class.

The Yeomen will be back on the gridiron next semes­ter on Sept. 3 when they travel to Kalamazoo, MI, to take on the Kalamazoo Col­lege Hornets in their season opener.