| Crusader |
03-15-2012 06:27 AM |
After securing U.S. citizenship, QB Dillman could become top recruit
A quick perusal of the stat sheet reveals that quarterback Kevin Dillman had an unremarkable freshman season on the La Mirada (Calif.) High varsity team. The 2015 prospect played in just four games, tossing two touchdown passes with limited overall effectiveness. But numbers don't tell the whole story.
Dillman is originally from Sweden and came to La Mirada in late July prior to his freshman campaign. His tourist visa was set to expire, so the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder was forced to return home and file new paperwork in order to become a legal American citizen. For the remainder of the season, Dillman dealt with immigration services from both countries. He was granted American citizenship and returned to California two weeks ago.
Dillman's journey from Sweden to the United States makes for a compelling saga. It also could rise to the national fore in years to come: Dillman has the makings of a premier D-I recruit.
To wit: When Dillman was 13 years old, he played on the Swedish national team with a group of 18 and 19 year olds. Now, he's poised to wreak havoc at La Mirada -- the same school his father was a foreign exchange student and basketball player at 20 years ago.
"The dad ended up calling a guy that coached me in Pop Warner," said La Mirada coach Mike Moschetti. "The dad lived with him when he was an exchange student, his name is Pete Dames. He was the mayor of La Mirada. The dad called Pete and said my son is a pretty good football player and I want to get him to the United States. That's how the kid ended up at La Mirada."
For all parties involved, the decision to resolve the immigration issue was simple. No one wanted to jeopardize deportation -- and Dillman's burgeoning football future.
Read more: After securing U.S. citizenship, QB Dillman*set to be*top recruit - More Sports - SI.com |
