8 year old Caleb Soto, the much heralded point guard from Dallas Texas, will be on hand
with his dad, VIP Realty Broker Richard Soto, when Kentucky takes on Wisconsin in the
Final Four tonight at AT&T Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. With the amazing talent this
youngster has...and make no mistake, he can shoot and pass like a pro already...he will
more than likely be playing in his own final four here about 10 years from now. Watching
tonight's game, which has a decidedly local attraction in Kentucky's prize forward Julius Randall from Plano, will undoubtedly spur young Caleb to work even harder to achieve similar success.
Julius Randle played high school basketball in Plano, a North Dallas suburb, and led
Plano Prestonwood Christian to three TAPPS state championships, including last March, is a huge, powerful star for the Kentucky Wildcats. Randle was in junior high when he heard the NCAA Final Four was coming to the Dallas Cowboy's AT&T Stadium. Fast forward five
years, and Randle is realizing his dream is now a reality.
Even though he is only 8 years old, Caleb's father posted a video on Youtube. You can see it here
It has nearly 40,000 views already, and after watching the youngster's moves, rest assured he may also have his dream come true very soon. Undoubtedly high school and even college coaches from all over Texas, at the very minimum, are drooling over the prospect of someone this talented playing for them. With coaches allowed to contact prospects at a very early age, he will soon be flooded with calls and inquiries from interested coaches. Talent this young, and this special, draws interest very quickly.
According to NCAA regulations, Coaches are allowed to contact players as early as the seventh grade, sending questionnaires, educational information, and brochures for youth sports camps. Prospects can then accept an unofficial visit to a college campus, where they can accept up to three complimentary admissions to sporting events. Prospects can only talk to coaches when they are on campus.
High school athletes can verbally commit to attend a College when they feel comfortable ...but this commitment is non-binding, and will not be binding until the player signs a National Letter of Intent.
In 2012, former Kentucky head coach Billy Gillespie got a head start on his recruiting
efforts by offering a scholarship to an eighth-grader. Michael Avery, the 15-year-old
star guard from Lake Sherwood, California, was noticed by Gillespie at a youth
basketball event in Akron, Ohio, and committed to play for the Wildcats a week
later...even though he had not even selected a high school yet.
In 2011, a young basketball star named Ryan Boatright, when he was 14, committed to play at the University of Southern California. He picked a high school after he committed to a college. In 2008, 14-year old ice hockey player Jordan Schmaltz chose the University of Wisconsin. His recruitment had barely even begun when he ended the suspense.
Not to say Caleb is going to be picking, or committing to a college this young...I have
never met the young wizard...but just a word to the wise. Don't be surprised when the
offers start coming in.
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