Senior Alex Godavitarne committed to play college football at Wheeling University earlier this month. Godavitarne’s journey to earning this opportunity is one of improbable odds and unrelenting dedication.

For most high school football players, the recruitment process takes place over all four years of high school. They gain the attention of coaches during their underclassmen seasons and earn offers during their junior and senior years. In the case of Godavitarne, who is a quarterback, his high school football career didn’t begin until his senior season. This set Alex far behind other recruits, as he lacked the game tape and connections others had accumulated. 

Football certainly wasn’t foreign to Godavitarne, even though began his high school career late. He grew up surrounded by the game, playing in both elementary and middle school. Despite this, Godavitarne wasn’t able to play during his first few years at Wilson. “When I didn’t play my freshman and sophomore year, I was at a low point,” Godavitarne said. “I’ve always lived with [football].”

During his junior year, he decided that he needed to give football another chance. Just as Godavitarne was preparing himself to come back to football, COVID-19 hit, taking away his junior season and delaying his return to the game. Despite this tidal wave of misfortune, Godavitarne remained steadfast in his goal of playing football and continued to put in hard work. “I think COVID gave me a chance to separate myself,” Godavitarne explained. “A lot of people just weren’t doing anything and I just continued to work out and get stronger, faster, and learn more.” 

Despite not having played a down of high school football, Godavitarne was able to foster relationships with college coaches during quarantine. One of these coaches was Nemo Washington, the offensive coordinator for Wheeling University. Having the dedication to be in contact with coaches during such a difficult time is a testament to Godavitarne’s work ethic. 

Godavitarne excelled in his senior season, gaining attention from numerous colleges. Despite this, his path to commitment wasn’t smooth, as numerous factors—including increased transfers occurring in college football—impacted which schools were interested. He was “in serious talks” with Towson University before they received multiple transfers at the quarterback position, effectively taking Godavitarne’s spot. Despite the challenges he faced from the transfer portal, Godavitarne eventually narrowed down his options to three schools: Wheeling University, Bowie State, and Gettysburg College. 

Many factors led Godavitarne to his eventual decision. His relationship with the coaching staff played a large role determining that Wheeling was the right fit. Godavitarrne was also intrigued by the fact that Wheeling’s football program is remarkably new, having only started in 2018. He noted the improvement the program has made each season and recognized his opportunity to make a mark. Aside from football, Wheeling was the best fit for Godavitarne to continue his education. “One thing I was really trying to consider with my family was putting football aside [to see] where I can see myself, and Wheeling had the best opportunities [for] my major in exercise science,” said Godavitarne. •