Fernley’s Kevin Hart reaches for the Cal hat as his coach Mark Hodges holds a microphone after keeping Fernley High School in suspense as he announced he would attend the University of California at Berkeley at a school assembly in Fernley, Nev., on Feb. 1. Hart, who claimed he was duped into believing he was recruited to play at a Pac-10 school, admitted five days later he made up the story. — Tim Dunn/Reno Gazette-Journal

Effie Dawson, The Examiner
2008-02-13 08:00:00.0
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The sad story of Kevin Hart should send a message to athletes, parents and coaches everywhere.

Hart is the offensive lineman out of Fernley, Nev., who made up the story about his recruitment and signing with the University of California at Berkeley. Not long after a well-attended press conference at his school, his story began to unravel. Cal Coach Jeff Tedford had never recruited Hart. Coaches at Oregon and other schools that Hart claimed were interested had not pursued him, either.

After briefly claiming to have duped by a recruiting con artist, Hart acknowledged the lie. He said when his dreams of playing college football failed to materialize, “I made up what I wanted to be reality.”

On the surface, Hart’s tale raises common sense issues: Did this kid think he could fill a gym with classmates and cameras and not have the story reach the coaches at Cal? Has he not heard of the Internet? Did his high school coach wonder why no one from these schools contacted the school? Did the coach himself ever call these colleges to talk up his 6-foot-5, 290-pound star? Did Hart’s family wonder why no coach showed up in the living room or phoned to offer information on scholarships? Did anyone, anyone, ever consider there might be some details to accepting a college offer — like providing a transcript or SAT score or registering with the NCAA Clearinghouse?

Some answers to these questions may eventually surface, but the folks involved haven’t scheduled any more media conferences.

This story raises far deeper issues than whether young Hart really thought his story would hold up. It’s a tale that athletes and those who care about them should heed.

Hart dreamed of playing college sports and came to believe he could do so. He’s not the first kid who overestimated his skills, and he’s not the first person who lied about an athletic achievement.

What he learned is there are no small lies; they all catch up. And that’s what players and their supporters need to take from this.

Almost every day, I read some college player profile that includes accolades I know to be exaggerated. Some “four-year starters” began a single, meaningless game as a freshman when the older players were being rested. Some list all-district or all-met honors for players who made the “also noted” lists or none at all. Some profiles list awards that are given to every player in the school. Some list varsity letters in secondary sports on which the player never even made varsity. Most of these fibs — no, let’s call them what they are: lies — don’t end up as national news. They are part of that “resume enhancement” plan which players, parents and coaches embrace.

After all, there is an assumption that college coaches make decisions based on watching the player, talking to trusted advisors and reading hard statistics. And if they were swayed by a padded resume, well shame on them for taking it seriously. So generally kids get away with this.

Hart’s story shows just what can happen when the little lies catch up. Now, he took a dive into pretty deep water with a football program such as Cal. But with all the sports talk on the Internet, even the non-revenue, non-scholarship college programs are going to come under greater scrutiny. There aren’t any little lies anymore.

The other lesson learned in that small town in Nevada is that parents who think their children are good enough must understand that they cannot do it alone. Few 17-year-olds can navigate the complex system of college recruiting without help. Players need to understand the system to have any chance. They need guidance from someone willing to support them whatever the outcome. And when those dreams don’t come true, they need kindness and compassion. They will all stop playing some day — it is just a question of when.

Effie Dawson writes about high school and youth sports. She can be reached at edawson@baltimoreexaminer.com.