In my 18 years at the Tribune (since 1988), there have been approximately 25,500 kids who have played prep football in our area — 50 teams in the Tribune’s coverage area times 30 (average roster size) times 18 seasons.

Number of kids to receive Division scholarships?

Two, Corey Brye from Westby (Wisconsin), and Karl Klug of Caledonia (Iowa). Sure, a number of others received full- or partial rides to Division I-AA or Division II schools, but we’re talking strictly Division I here.

That’s .0000784 of the prep players in our area to receive a Division I football scholarship.

Ah, we’re more of baseball or basketball area, right?

Well, maybe, but consider this: Of the 10,200 kids to play boys basketball in the Tribune’s circulation area since 1988, only four — Jarrod Lovette of Blair-Taylor (Marquette), Aaron Middendorf of Caledonia (University of Northern Iowa) , Michael Southall of West Salem (Louisiana-Lafayette) and Scott Christopherson (Marquette) have earned full rides to Division I schools.

The percentage? Well, try .0003921 of those who played earned a ride.

We’ve had far more prep girls play at the Division I level — Tomah’s Rhonda Rice (UW-Green Bay), Amy Strohmeyer (UW-Green Bay) and Krista Davis (Charleston-Southern); Aquinas’ Liz Reiman (UW-Green Bay) and Heather Dunham (Western Illinois); Central’s Kelley Paulus (Wisconsin), Sarah Warner (Indiana) and Angie Russell (Eastern Illinois); Holmen’s Kristi Johnson (Marquette); Caledonia’s Sarah Scheiber (Minnesota); Cashton’s Kristi Larson (Illinois State); West Salem’s Ashley Josephson (Wisconsin), Jessica Shattuck (Northern Illinois), Linn Quamme (Hofstra) and Rachel Mueggenborg (Southeast Missouri State).

(Please, if we missed someone, blame the Tribune’s electronic library system or my failing brain).

That’s a whopping 15 Division I players in 18 seasons, which is pretty remarkable. Still, that’s only .0014705 of the area players who earned a ride to the big time.

The rest of the story

By Jeff Brown
La Crosse Tribune