By Kyle LoJacono
Steinbrenner senior inside linebacker Alex Bombino will continue his playing career at LaGrange College in Georgia and marks two victories for the fledging program.
Bombino is the second Warrior in the school’s two-year history to receive financial aid to play college football, following Tobi Antigha signing an athletic scholarship with Presbyterian College. Division III schools like LaGrange do not give athletic scholarships, but offered him financial aid, amazing considering where his grades were just two years ago.
“When I came here from Sickles as a junior I had a 2.0 GPA,” Bombino said. “Now I will be graduating with about a 3.2.”
Bombino said the turnaround is a result of coach Floyd Graham and the support staff at Steinbrenner.
“We do weekly grade checks on our kids to make sure they’re keeping up in their classes,” Graham said. “We try to assist them in any way possible and give them the tools to succeed. We have coaches on the staff who teach most subjects and have tutoring sessions on Thursday for those who need the help.”
Bombino approached Graham during his junior year and told him he wanted to play in college.
“I told him it would take a lot for work to get his grades up, but he put in the effort,” Graham said. “He got his grades up and raised his ACT score from about an 18 to a 24 in a couple months. Now he’ll get to play in college and get his education, which is the most important thing.”
Bombino was also a team captain last year and was the only Warrior to make every workout and practice his senior season. Steinbrenner went 5-5 in 2010 and Bombino led the squad with 64 tackles.
“I’ve loved helping to build the program at Steinbrenner,” Bombino said. “LaGrange reminds me a lot of Steinbrenner because it’s a relatively new program they’re building. I want to be a part of that.”
Bombino plans to study biology at LaGrange and hopes to one day become a dentist.
“I’m blessed to get a chance to play in college,” Bombino said. “The hard work and great coaching really made the difference, but the help with my grades has a lot to do with it too.”
LaGrange went 3-7 last season and will compete as an independent program in 2011.
