Sometimes opportunities come knocking, and you can’t say no. That’s what happened to Kinder’s Hayes Fawcett, 19, when he was recently invited to join the athletic recruiting team at LSU-Baton Rouge as a student by LSU Football Head Coach Ed Orgeron.
Fawcett, who loves sports, received the invite because of his hobby. At 14, he began photo editing photos for national recruits. Thus his rainbow of editing photos brought him a pot of gold – a chance to attend his favorite college – LSU.
He has posted his work to his Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/recruit247) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/Hayesfawcett3) accounts. Fawcett uses social media to display the nation’s top college football recruits.
top college football recruits.
Sometimes his
tools put that player
in the uniform of the
school they have decided
to play football
for while at other times
his tools display the
number of offers these
student athletes are
considering.
And with the knowledge
of their college
selections, Fawcett has
had to keep many secrets.
He also has developed
some serious
contacts and manages
to keep in touch with a
few of them.
Some of the biggest
names he has displayed
on his accounts
include Odell Beckman
Jr., a wide receiver
for the Cleveland
Browns of the NFL
(National Football
League); Trevor Lawrence,
a quarterback
for the Clemson Tigers
who was considered
one of the best quarterback
prospects of
all time; Chase Young,
defensive end for the
Washington Redskins
of the NFL who played
college football at Ohio
State University; and
Travis Etienne, a
running back for the
Clemson Tigers who
played for Jennings
High School.
Hayes said the funny
thing about his hobby
is that some of the first
guys he worked with
are now entering the
NFL and were drafted
in the first round this
year.
“I’ve always wanted
to do this,” he said.
His love of the sport
and his hobby is opening
doors to a future
he dreamed about and
wanted to do for a long
time.
When he picked up
his phone and heard
Coach Orgeron say
hello, Fawcett said it
was “wow.” On the call,
Fawcett said he was
star-struck and barely
could get any words
out. “I was just saying
‘yes sir’ and stuff like
that.”
Fawcett said Coach
Orgeron was really
nice as he sealed the
deal and invited him
to join his recruiting
staff as a student. Another
plus is that it will
be a paid job. He said
Coach Orgeron invited
him and his parents to
visit campus when the
COVID-19 issues were
lifted to learn more
about what he will be
doing.
He’s not sure of his
exact job duties yet,
but he will be working
in the recruiting
department at LSU.
The only thing he
knows for sure is that
he could not pass up
this opportunity. He
said recruiting guidelines
permitted him
and Coach Orgeron
from discussing a lot of
things, but he will be
looking forward to visiting
the campus and
learning how he can be
beneficial to the school
he had always hoped to
attend.
Fawcett said he
spoke with his parents
about the possibilities
at LSU. “My parents
were very supportive.
They want me to do
what I want to do.”
Before the LSU offer,
he was going to
continue his athletic
career by walking onto
the football team at
Northwestern State
in Natchitoches to
play quarterback. As
a Yellow Jacket, Fawcett
played football for
Kinder High as a quarterback
and worked as
a catcher on the baseball
team. Last year,
the Jackets baseball
team won the state
championship.
Besides being a great
athlete, he is a good
academic student. His
GPA (grade point average)
is 4.0, and he has
an ACT score of 24. He
said he will be graduating
in the top five
among his classmates
next month.
At Northwestern, his
tuition, housing, etc.
was paid. He knows he
qualifies for TOPS and
will see what other financial
aid he receives
for LSU.
“It couldn’t have happened
to a better, more
deserving person,”
Melody Lafleur said,
Kinder High’s principal.
“He’s very respectful
and a hard worker.
He makes us proud of
him. I know he will do
great things.”
His football coach
and athletic director
at Kinder High, Bret
Fuselier described
Fawcett as a great kid;
one of those program
kids who worked hard
his four years. He said
Fawcett had a great
senior year as Kinder’s
quarterback and
was hoping for a great
baseball season before
the COVID-19 ended
all sports’ seasons.
Fuselier said last
year, Fawcett had a
thumb injury but was
able to return in time
for the baseball playoffs
and help his team
win a state championship
title. He said Fawcett
was hoping to have
a better season this
year. “It’s a shame how
things came to be.”
In regards to Fawcett’s
hobby, Fuselier
said, “This is a great
opportunity for him.”
He explained it shows
how social media plays
a part in our lives. “Opportunities
like these
don’t come often.”
Fuselier said Fawcett
is going to be on
the number one national
college football
team. He’s going to
make contacts that
will assist him for the
rest of his life. He also
added acquiring a degree
from a college like
LSU is a plus. “The
sky’s the limit for him.”
Fawcett is the son of
Brett and Jenny Fawcett
of Kinder. He is
the second oldest of the
couple’s five boys. His
maternal grandparents
are Ronnie and
Kay Sonnier of Kinder.
His paternal grandparents
are Ike and
Marie Fawcett, also of
Kinder.
