Beware: ECU does not use student recruiters
Every 18 year old dabbles with a little mischief, some like to bash mailboxes with baseball bats and others like to toilet paper houses. For Kodey Kroger, this 18 year old felt the need to be a little more creative in his adolescence.
On a mild December day, Kroger strolled into Newport, North Carolina’s Croatan High School and introduced himself to the football team as a student recruiter from East Carolina University. Being a recent graduate from Dixon High School in Holly Ridge, NC , Kroger knew the area and had some football experience. After playing high school ball, he signed with the Fighting Camels of Campbell University. Unfortunately, his talent was sub-par at best and he was quickly dismissed from the team. His passion for football did not end there. So he decided to explore the world of recruiting.
While at Croatan, he hobnobbed with several players and even sat down with two excited players and their parents to talk about the ECU Pirates and their opportunity to earn preferred walk-on status with the purple and gold. As a preferred walk-on you don’t get a scholarship initially but you are guaranteed a roster spot. To make his scam even more legitimate, Kroger said he played for ECU and had doctored credentials and papers signed by ECU’s head coach Skip Holtz. Kroger’s little adventure was such a turn-on for him that he did this for days and at other schools to include Swansboro and West Carteret.
Unfortunately for Kroger, all good things must come to an end. Croatan’s coaches contacted local high schools, ECU officials and the NCAA. No one ever heard of Kroger and something just didn’t add up. Ultimately, he got called out and his hoax quickly ended just like his college football career.
At this time, there are no charges being filed against Kroger, but he was warned by Capt. Jason Wank of the Carteret County Sheriff’s Department, to not return to the high school and to not have any more contact with the two Croatan student-athletes. Trespassing and/or harassment charges will be brought should either occur.
God only knows what was going through Kroger’s mind. Perhaps for Christmas, this kid can get a role model.
