Student athlete Jacob Copeland recently made his verbal commitment to play football for the University of Florida, but what would normally be one of the most inspiring moments of his life turned a little sour when his mother decided to get up and walk out upon hearing his decision.
Every high school athlete at one point dreams about getting recruited to play for a major college sports team. For most, the dream remains just that, but for the few who are lucky and determined enough, they get their own shot at making it in the big leagues. Every once and a while, though, decision time will roll around and a parent's reaction can taint the beginning of an athlete's next chapter. That is what happened when Copeland's mother was so visibly disappointed in his decision to attend Florida that she grabbed her bags and straight up left the auditorium.
Copeland was ranked fifth wideout and number 40 overall prospect. Just minutes after he committed and his mom walked off, Copeland explained to ESPN U, "God lead me. I can't go with my mind, I wanted to go with my heart." Copeland had admitted to have agonizing over the decision when he shared a tweet that gave a look into his mindset right before it was time to make his choice.
Judging from his mother's choice of apparel that day, it's clear she was hoping for her son to commit to Alabama or Tennessee, but for Copeland it all came down to following his heart. "Out of all schools, I felt more welcomed and at home and felt like I could make an impact at the University of Florida," Copeland said.
His mom did eventually come back.
Copeland didn't seem that bothered by his mom's move.
Copeland's mother's behavior, although pretty drastic, sadly isn't all that uncommon of a response. Back in 2012, Landon Collins' mother wasn't too amused at his decision to commit to Bama over LSU. Then, to add insult to injury, two years later, her second son, Gerald Willis III let down mom once again in choosing Florida over LSU.
