Israeli football recruits add to school spirit

​by Henry Schumm ' 25 and Ryan Thomas '25

​Israeli football recruits Omri Niv and Boaz Atia come to the USA to play football in high school.
Boaz and Omri knew each other in Israel, but they were not very close friends. They became better friends when they found out that they were coming to North Cross together. In Israel, they went to separate schools and lived about 30 minutes away.
“There are no school sports teams; if you want to play a sport, you have to join a private club,” Boaz said. 
Omri and Boaz were on the same club team. In Israel, football is not a very popular sport, and there isn’t much competition. In all of Israel, there may be fewer than 18 football teams. They decided to play football in the USA because they wanted to get better and potentially take their football careers much further.
In Israel, their coach helped them come to the USA by the organization Podyum Preps, which take European student-athletes and helps them apply them to different boarding schools all over the USA.  
Both of the boys have a goal to make D1 for college football. If not, they will return to Israel and join the military.
The boys have been playing football for most of their life. Before a couple of years ago, they had no option to play on a team. They have been working very hard on the field and in the gym to prepare for the football season.  The Raiders made it to the finals and had a very successful season. As winter approaches they continue to train indoors, to stay fit for the next season.
Omri and Boaz were the only two freshman on the football team this year. 
“They were very independent and alone is the sense of them being the only ones [as freshmen]” said Coach Alexander. “Boaz has a big, unmistakable smile and Omri is a very curious kid who asks too many questions.”