On Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, Central Bucks East seniors Alex Gibson, Jack Lamb, Lamine Nouck-A-Nwal and Tommy Strasburger were recognized for committing to play football at the collegiate level. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/g/020316_signings_4_-_mjs
“All four guys have picked schools that are great academic schools, but they’re going to have an opportunity to play great football as well,” coach John Donnelly said. “When it’s all said and done, they’re going to have all kinds of opportunities and networking because of the schools they’ve chosen.
“With these four guys graduating, it’s a lot of talent, but it’s a lot of experience, a lot of leadership. We’ve had some signings in the past but none with a collective core of talent and how much value they brought to the program as the four guys we have here. They’re great students, they’re great athletes, but they’re great kids as well. That part of it I think we’re going to miss the most. They’re kids you can joke around with and have great camaraderie. They understand when to tow the line and work. Kids look up to them because of their exemplary approach to football and life. They’re going to be dearly missed.”
Alex Gibson – Columbia University (Football)
Major: Economics
Final list of colleges: Columbia, Princeton, Dartmouth.
Reasons for choosing Columbia: “I really like New York City, and obviously, the job opportunities are endless. During the summers, they can hook you up with some nice internships. You get a lot of exposure being in the city and being surrounded by such great people. Columbia was just a great opportunity for me. It made it a lot easier decision knowing I had a teammate going there as well. Columbia just stood out right away because of the connections the coaches made with me. They were constantly calling, constantly e-mailing when sometimes other schools wouldn’t be as frequent with their encounters. That’s something I definitely appreciated about Columbia. Lamine and I are good friends and we have that bond already. I can’t wait to spend the next four years building on that.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “Ever since I was a kid, I remember watching college football games. I used to be a big USC fan. I always knew I wanted to play college football someday. When I was younger, I definitely was shooting for the stars, thinking – I can play for USC or a school like that someday.
“From that point, I remember watching Reggie Bush and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I want to be a running back someday. I want to play college football.’ As I got older, I wouldn’t say I’m settling because Columbia is a great option, but obviously, I’m not playing D1A, I’m playing D1AA, but it’s still awesome. I wasn’t going to turn any opportunity to play football down.”
Coach John Donnelly says: “Alex was a four-year starter and two-year captain. Those kind of guys don’t come along too often. He had a few injuries all four of his years. His statistics were pretty phenomenal, but if you think about it – his sophomore year, he missed five games or something along those lines and still had 1300 yards. He has overcome and persevered and play through a lot of injuries in his career, and that speaks to his toughness.
“Alex is always probably the best athlete on the field but also the hardest working guy in practice and in the weight room, so he is another guy that has set a tremendous example in terms of work ethic no matter how talented you are. I think that speaks about the kind of player he is. I think they got a gem in him at Columbia. Alex and Lamine, I think, are going to be part of the resurgence of that program with Al Bagnoli, who used to be the coach at Penn and is the all-time winningest coach in Ivy League history. He went to Columbia to help turn that program around, and these guys, I think, are going to be a big part of that.”
About Alex:
Favorite food: Surf & Turf
Favorite movie: American Sniper
Favorite music: G-Eazy
Jack Lamb – Lafayette College (Football)
Major: Chemistry
Final list of colleges: Lafayette, Lehigh, Johns Hopkins
Reasons for choosing Lafayette: “I went up there for a visit in December, and I had been in contact with them before. I went up there and just fell in love with the campus, the coaches and the facilities. I kind of instantly knew that was the place I wanted to be right then and there.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “I went into my East career with that being my goal – to play college football eventually – as well as doing well here. Just making it to the next level was a big part of everything.”
Coach John Donnelly says: “Jack was very unique. He was a four-year starter for us and a two-year captain. He is a very quiet kid for the most part off the field, but he’s also a very creative and interesting guy too when you get to know him. On the field, even as a freshman at the age of 14 in the Suburban One, he was as demonstrative and as vocal as they come. He is just a born leader.
“There are so many games you can point to and things that he did to help us win over the last couple of years. He’s just a warrior. The one game that comes to mind is the Pennridge game. How many guys are starting at inside linebacker since their freshman year and then playing quarterback as well. He was really kind of forced into that situation midyear as a junior and just had done a phenomenal job. You’d be hard pressed to find a number 45 anywhere in the country doing what he did at quarterback and linebacker.
“The amount of plays he made – it’s immeasurable, but I think the thing that’s probably even more valuable were his leadership skills. The kids gravitate to him and look up to him, and that’s probably one of the biggest things we’ll miss is the kind of person and leader he was for us.”
About Jack:
Favorite food: Buffalo Wings
Favorite movie: Spider-Man
Favorite music: Anything but country
Lamine Nouck-A-Nwal – Lafayette College (Football)
Major: Economics or Political Science
Final list of colleges: Columbia, Cornell
Reasons for choosing Columbia: “First, you have to start with New York City as a whole. Even before I thought I was going to play college football, I always loved New York City. When I found Columbia, I just thought it was a perfect fit for me with the opportunities that are there, and I loved the campus. It just seemed like a great opportunity to be in New York City for four years.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “After my junior year, coach (Donnelly) made me a highlight tape. I didn’t really think I would get any looks from it, but I got to meet a bunch of coaches over the springtime and the summer. Most of them said they wanted me to put on weight, so I did that. I went to a few camps, and I did pretty well at those camps. Columbia was actually the only school who offered me right after the camp. Most schools wanted to see my senior tape, but Columbia offered me right after the camp. That meant a lot to me because they were taking a shot on me because I was still probably 240 at the time. It wasn’t the easiest decision to take a 240 lineman (I’m 270 now).
“First, I visited NYU to see what it was like because I wanted to go there as a student. I wasn’t exactly sure I would be playing college football. I visited NYU and I didn’t really like it because it’s not a close-knit campus like Columbia. Once I actually went to Columbia for the camp and visited the campus, I just thought it would be a perfect fit because I always wanted to go to school in New York City. It just all worked out.”
Coach John Donnelly says: “Lamine is an interesting story because he came to America when he was in fifth grade. He went from Cameroon to France to here, so he’s got dual citizenship, and I think he still speaks French. When we had sign ups, I thought some kid was pulling my leg, but it was him. He showed up as a scrawny, skinny lineman, and he is the guy that every time we tested, every time we weighed them in – he made the biggest gains. From year to year to year, he reaped the benefits of that hard work.
“He always was a great kid, but as far as a football player now, he’s a grown man, and he’s going to get bigger. For both Alex and Lamine, I think Columbia is a great fit.”
About Lamine:
Favorite food: Barbeque Baby Back Ribs
Favorite movie: Good Will Hunting
Favorite music: Hip Hop
Tommy Strasburger – Lafayette College (Football)
Major: Undecided but possibly Psychology
Final list of colleges: Lafayette, Stetson, Colgate, Bucknell, Georgetown
Reasons for choosing Lafayette: “The first thing is I just really connected well with their coaches. They did a good job of keeping in touch with me. Right off the bat, I went to their camp early on in the summer, and I just had a great time and enjoyed the campus a lot. What I heard about the academics was overwhelming, and I really was impressed with the school.”
What was the progression that led you to playing football at the collegiate level? “It was kind of funny because I always thought I was going to play basketball in college. I took a year off from football my sophomore year, and I just remember being at the East-West game in the stands and thinking how much I missed it. So I came back, never having the intention of playing in college. I just wanted to play for fun with my friends. Once all the college coaches started coming to school, I thought I might as well give it a try.”
Coach John Donnelly says: “Tommy played free safety for us and was a return specialist also. He did not play his sophomore year – at that point, he was concentrating on basketball. I’m pretty persistent with guys in the hallway that are great athletes and was able to get him to come back out his junior and senior year. He was a first team all-league guy both years.
“Tommy’s father played defensive back at Nebraska. Here’s a guy that played Division One football but never pushed his kid into a sport and really stayed back and allowed Tommy to gravitate back towards it, which was really neat. His parents are very supportive.
“Tommy is a dynamic player. They really love him up at Lafayette. I think he’s going to fit into the system there. Tommy is such a gamer. He’s a guy that when the lights come on – he’s such a performer. You saw that even as a freshman starting on the basketball court. He was the guy that wanted the ball in his hands when the game was on the line against West. He’s just such a competitor. I think that’s going to serve him well up at Lafayette.”
About Tommy:
Favorite food: Pasta
Favorite movie: Remember the Titans
Favorite music: Hip Hop
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