West Bloomfield Athlete Makes NCAA Dream Come True

West Bloomfield High graduate Caleb McCurtis started playing lacrosse in his junior year, with no idea it would one day be his ticket to playing for a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college. 

McCurtis played football until history teacher Aaron Avery, who also coached lacrosse, convinced him to try the sport. 

Once McCurtis hit the field, he never looked back. "I like that I can use my speed in a lot more different ways," he said. "In lacrosse, scoring goals is like a big adrenaline rush. It's just a lot more fun." 

Knowing it would be difficult for him to get the attention of NCAA coaches, McCurtis made his own highlight reel, which he posted on YouTube and sent out to colleges, and did his own recruiting. As a result, he's now a freshman at Ohio Valley University. 

"It's a great school, a great team and a great coach," he said. "My plan now is to get better and start my NCAA career. It's really hard to play a college sport, you gotta work hard." 

The 17-year-old is the son of Gregory and Antoinette McCurtis.