'17 Waggener QB Larry Harper's hard work has put him in a unique position

Larry Harper is the kind of player every high school coach dreams about, a tireless worker in the gym and the classroom. He's also a playmaker who helped turn a struggling Waggener program into one on the rise. The senior quarterback is a cornerstone type of kid you can build a program around, one who sets an example for his teammates on and off the field.

While Harper isn't a "big time" recruit, he does possess the talent, physical makeup, and work ethic to play college football. He has attended camps across the country, competed in the Adidas Freshman All-American Game, won the MVP of the Best of the Bluegrass All-Star game, and will also quarterback the Kentucky team in the Kentucky-Tennessee Border Bowl game on January 21, 2017.

His resume doesn't end with his football achievements however, Harper is the president of the Men of Quality organization at Waggener, and was awarded an academic college scholarship this past December from the Omega Men of Quality. He has also been nominated for a Young Black Achievers, Ronald McDonald House scholarship.

Community service is also important to Harper. He is active in his city and was adopted as part of the Lincoln Foundation in Louisville, he feels that president Larry Macdonald and his staff have prepared him to become one of the top leaders in the metro. A young man of strong faith and integrity, Harper is an active member of First Gethsemane Baptist church as an usher and a youth leader.

Thanks to the discipline his parent's have instilled in him, he's become a well rounded young man and all of his hard work has lead to more college enrollment options.

For the next chapter in his life, Harper aspires to become a college quarterback and currently holds offers from Centre College (DIII) and the University of the Cumberlands (NAIA). Only division one schools offer the coveted "full ride scholarship" while the lower divisions offer financial aid packages leaving some of the cost to the student-athlete. For most high school football players, this is what the recruiting process becomes and for many, the harsh reality that football isn't going to amount to a full ride can be a major financial hurdle. Such is not the case for Harper, who is on pace to graduate with a 3.9 core GPA, good for second on the Waggener football team behind his brother Manny Harper, who is a 2018 slot receiver with looks from a few Ivy League schools at the moment.

Becuase he has already been awarded academic scholarship, Larry finds himself in a flexible position. Based on his ACT and GPA alone, the lower division schools to buttress football financial aid package with an academic package. Effectively, this gives Larry Harper a full ride to both the DIII and NAIA schools. This will allow him to put the other academic scholarships he's been awarded in his back pocket for graduate school should he decide to go that route.

Harper's options don't stop at the lower division football programs however. The hometown Louisville kid has also received a full academic scholarship from the University of Louisville in addition to a preferred walk-on position with the football team.

Anything can happen on the football feild, from a career edning injury to a player with 20 power five offers transferring into your school and taking away the incumbants starting role. The one thing that a student-athlete can control though, is how hard he or she works in the classroom. Larry controled the controlables and now sits in a position of power regardiong his future.

I caught up with Larry at his home away from home, Aspirations Gym, and asked him to explain how his unique position.

Shortly after our interview, Harper visited Louisville to discuss his academic plans and his role on the football squad. I asked him how that trip went.

"It was great, they explained to me my situation and how I would help the team and what the program has to offer," Said Harper, 'm still not sure where I want to go to school yet I still have a little time before I have to sign."

Harper still may receive an offer from Navy or Army in the short two weeks leading up to national signing day. It's also not a stretch to think if he turns in another MVP performance in the Border Bowl, a few D1 or Ivy League programs may come knocking. While that may make his decision a little more difficult, I'm sure Harper won't mind considering he has set himself to consider as many options as possible.