Standing quietly outside Robertson Hall on a bitterly cold morning, Nick Vanin waits for his tour of Carleton University to begin.
Amongst a handful of other high school students from across the province, Vanin stands out in the crowd.
He’s used to it.
It’s exactly what happens every time the London, Ont. native steps onto a football field.
The 6’2”, 200 lbs., defensive back is explosive. His combination of size, speed and an eye for the ball has made him one of the most sought-after recruits in Canada.
Highlights of Vanin dominating the opposition with the Catholic Central High School Crusaders are remarkable.
The same can be said of his 96 per cent academic average.
Schools throughout the province are rolling out the red carpet to lure in the teenage star.
Today, it’s Carleton’s turn.
Ravens coach Steve Sumarah pitches Carleton to Vanin.
Fittingly, Vanin’s visit begins with a stop at the Athletics complex.
After holding the door for the rest of the group, he rushes to the front of the pack.
His ears perk up when the tour guide begins to discuss the athletic culture of the school. The other students seem disinterested.
Not Nick, marveling at the size of the Ravens Nest.
“It’s impressive,” he tells his dad, Carlos.
So are his football credentials.
In 2012, Vanin helped the London Junior Mustangs of the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL) to an undefeated season.
Back at school with the Crusaders, he recorded 401 rushing yards and five touchdowns—on only 44 carries—to go along with 287 yards and three touchdowns in the receiving game.
As a result, he was named to the citywide all-star team after helping his squad to a 6-0 regular season and an appearance in the regional final.
Walking through an unusually empty quad, Vanin is greeted by two other members of that team.
They also happen to be two of his closest friends.
“Is that camera still on you?” asks Rico Palcich as he throws a giant arm around Vanin. “You’re kind of a big deal.”
Palcich, a 6’6”, 258 lbs., defensive lineman, is also touring the school along with highly rated running back Avery Lawrence.
Together with his two friends, Vanin is instantly more relaxed.
“My viewing audience doesn’t want me to hang around with these bad influences,” he jokes. “Kids are going to be seeing this, please don’t say anything inappropriate.”
Considering who he will be meeting next, that’s probably a good piece of advice.
You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of the president of the university, would you?
“This is a young man who we would love to have at Carleton,” Ravens head coach Steve Sumarah announces as he greets Roseann Runte before they venture into her office at noon.
Thirty minutes pass before they all emerge.
Carleton recruit Nathaniel Behar, the top-ranked receiver in the 2013 class—who also hails from London and is good friends with Vanin—was the only other player to have a meeting with Runte.
But his encounter only lasted 25 minutes. Vanin is quick to text his pal and point that out.
The clock has hit 1 p.m.
Next on the docket: academic meetings. He’s not just here for football— Vanin wants to study biomedical science and eventually become a doctor.
While he was the one asking all the questions during the tour, now it’s his father’s turn.
Measuring well above his son, Carlos Vanin speaks softly. His Colombian roots come through as each question he asks is accompanied by an accent.
Leaving tomorrow to head home, they’ll only get one chance at this. The questions have to come out now.
Come the end of the 30-minute meeting, the elder Vanin seems content.
His son? He’s ready to reunite with the football brass.
Upon entering the coaching offices, tucked away in the corner of the Norm Fenn Gym Building, he is eager to show everyone his highlight tape.
“I don’t need to see it, I know how good you are,” Ravens defensive co-ordinator Ryan Bechmanis jokes.
They watch it anyway.
An interception returned for a touchdown, a huge block to open up a hole and a rushing touchdown that sees Vanin get to the outside and turn the corner almost effortlessly.
With each play shown, the excitement level of the coaches in attendance rises.
“Very good sir,” Bechmanis says once the video is over.
He is already envisioning what his defense will look like with Vanin as the anchor.
“What can we do to get you here?” he asks.
A meal might be a good place to start.
After a day that entailed walking across the campus multiple times and sitting through a handful of meetings, you can’t fault Vanin for being hungry.
As they take a seat at a cafeteria table, Bechmanis begins discussing the day-to-day operations of the team for the upcoming year. There will be three practices during the week, pre-game walkthroughs, post-game meetings and team bonding during road trips.
“It’ll be a fun first year,” he says.
Looking up from his plate, Vanin nods in agreement. He likes the sound of that, but he doesn’t want to rush into a decision.
“I’m just trying to be patient and I don’t want to promise a coach anything,” he says. “I want to sit down and take everything into consideration.”
Before he can do that, there is one final meeting to attend— the one that could ultimately seal his choice.
As he returns to Sumarah’s office, the head coach has a smile on his face. It’s his time to shine now.
He makes his pitch without sounding desperate. He’s insightful.
“Wherever you go, it’s about knowing everyday when you wake up that you are happy to be there.”
He’s funny.
“We want you to go and experience everything you need to, and then at the end of the day come here,” he said, before erupting in laughter.
But most importantly, he’s honest.
“We want you here 100 per cent,” Sumarah said in closing. “You would be an incredible ambassador for this program. You will be known in this community by the time you’re done.”
The Ottawa community will know all about Vanin as early as Sept. 2.
That’s when Carleton hits the field for the first time in 15 years to take on the University of Western Mustangs in their 2013 season opener.
During that game, Vanin will be known as the rookie defensive back trying to stop Jesse Mills, Behar, and the Ravens offense.
That’s right: Vanin committed to Western.
