Burlington recruit flattered by Blues attention (VIDEO)

Burlington defensive end signs with OUA team.

For Cole Henderson, it was an offer that was too good to refuse.

The 6’1, 250 pound defensive end from Burlington, Ontario has signed with the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.  Henderson will join the team for the 2015 OUA season.

Henderson completed his high school career with Nelson Lords of the Halton Secondary School Athletic Association (HSSAA).

Ultimately, academics as well as the historic impact of the gridiron program played a major role in his decision.  Furthermore, the opportunity to reunite with three former Lords teammates was also a factor.

“I chose Toronto for academic reasons to begin with, I applied there only for their academics at first,” explained Henderson of his decision.  “Later my friend and I were joking around and he persuaded me to email all the schools I had applied to for academics for football and rugby.”

“Surprisingly most schools responded with interest. Toronto was the first school to respond and they seemed very interested. I already knew some of their players on their team (Jordan Sidsworth, Alex Furlan, and Will Priestner who played on my high school team in prior years). They told me how it is a fantastic program looking to rebuild and how friendly everyone is and how everyone has the same goal, to win. I was taken away by my visit to their facilities with Coach Kevin Eiben; the field is amazing along with their new Gold Ring facility for working out and rehab. I was also taken by how friendly all the other players were and how quickly they accepted among them, I felt like part of the team right away. I was never scouted for anything ever, so having Toronto, the best academic school in the nation asking me to play football for them with some of my high school teammates there was no way I could decline their offer – both a great football program with great history and fantastic academics.”

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