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Photo courtesy Football North website
FOOTBALL

Fundraiser set up to help local football player attend Ontario prep school program

Aug 3, 2022 | 12:30 PM

A Grande Prairie high school football player has been invited to attend the prestigious Football North prep school program based out of Clarkson High School in Mississauga, Ontario.

Isaiah Anderson is a 16-year-old offensive and defensive lineman with the Comp Phoenix.

The Football North program plays games weekly against top U-S high school teams.

Carl Millsap, who is helping to organize a GoFundMe fundraiser for Isaiah, says there is a significant cost associated with this program.

“It is going to cost just a little over eight thousand dollars just for the tuition alone. But outside of that eight thousand, he also needs money for the flight to get to Toronto. He is also going to need some supplies before he gets there.”

“The program includes lodging and flights to the States for his games, but his weekly meals and stuff like that are not really covered. You have to lean heavily on the billet families for that, but it would be nice for him to have a little extra pocket cash to help deal with incidentals on top of his tuition.”

Millsap adds this is a rare opportunity for a local athlete.

“(Football North) is very highly skilled and very highly coached and highly sought after, probably one of the top football programs in Canada. To hear of a kid being picked from Northern Alberta to be sent to Football North is something that is out of this stratosphere. It is absolutely unbelievable.”

Isaiah’s mom is currently on disability, so it’s hoped the fundraiser will raise around ten thousand dollars to cover those expenses.

Millsap hopes the people of Grande Prairie and the surrounding area will step up to help Isaiah reach this very unique opportunity.

“There are some families in these neihbourhoods that do not necessarily make the big oil money that (some people here) are making. Every now and then some people need a little extra assistance, and there are some great people that are living under a little bit less than what most of us have.”

You can find out more details or donate by going to the “Help Isaiah Afford Prep School”. GoFundMe page.

A link to the page can be found here.