Chase Claypool, Abbotsford high schooler, recruited by Notre Dame Fighting Irish

An Abbotsford teen has been recruited to play for one of the most prestigious team's in American college football, but first he has to finish high school here in B.C.

Chase Claypool committed to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team earlier this month, making him one of the most touted youth prospect in the country.

"It's huge for family, friends, and the school program," he told the Early Edition's Rick Cluff.

The six-foot-five receiver, who studies at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School, had offers from other major U.S. university football programs including Oregon, Michigan and Nebraska, but says he decided to pick the Indiana-based Notre Dame because of the school program.

"The biggest thing that jumped out at me [about Notre Dame] was the graduation rates. You don't want to go into a school not knowing if you're going to graduate or not, so life after football is big for me."

The importance of education was just one of the lessons he learned from his high school head coach Jay Fujimura.

"Chase is a great young man and I'm pretty proud of everything he's done and where his head is at. We've always said that football's great and we love football, but you're always one hit away and it's about the future too," says Fujimura.

Bigger, faster, stronger

"We noticed Chase since middle school. We saw this young, much smaller kid at the time, running around and looking like he's was playing at another level than his opponents. Every year he's gotten bigger he's gotten stronger."

Claypool, having recently completed Grade 11, will spend his final high school year remaining in Abbotsford before moving to Indiana. It's a year coach Fujimura hopes will be a special one for his team.

"We're hoping for really great things from him and the rest of the guys.

"Notre Dame's getting a guy that is going to put his team first and that's the kind of character we like to build in them. I'm really proud of the type of person and the type of player he's become."

To hear more, click the audio labelled: teen gets B.C. teen gets dream opportunity to play for Notre Dame.