Hardworking, dedicated, two hundred and eighty pounds, six foot seven and a lover of chocolate milk all describe Revere High School alumnus Mitchell Hlay.

Hlay, a freshman at the University of Akron, will be playing offensive line and hopes to start in years to come on a scholarship to play college football. With a chance to start on the team, Hlay is eager to show why he belongs.

Football is not just a hobby for Hlay; he has played football since the third grade. His main focus was always on school.

Hlay explained the differences between high school football and college football.

“In college, there is a lot more work to be done. In high school you have two hour practices. You have three and a half hour practices in college with a weightlifting, before or after practice, that typically runs 30 minutes to an hour,” Hlay said.

Hlay chose to attend the University of Akron because they offered him a scholarship when no other team did, and because of their engineering program. His major is mechanical engineering.

Revere High School Football coach Mike Murphey explained Hlay’s readiness for college football.

“Hlay’s balance, his ability to always know what the situation was, is just really impressive. Also he has that frame, and to be an athlete. When an athlete gets recruited as an offensive lineman. The first thing they are evaluated on is how many times they are in the ground,” Murphey said.

Mitchell’s father John Hlay explains his readiness and the adjustment from high school to college.

“I think every kid athlete it’s a huge adjustment just being a freshmen in college. I think that’s takes a big adjustment whether you’re playing a sport or not but then you through the sport on top off it just makes it that much more difficult. He is stronger than he knows and he is not a quitter so whatever happens from this point forward in my eyes doesn’t matter he already proved himself to himself and to his family,” John said.

“I prepared for college football by doing a lot of weightlifting and speed classes in the off season and attending various football camps,” Hlay said.

Hlay undertook a lot of time management and body preparation for the grind of college football. The recruitment process has many variables that go into making sure students receive the best possible offer. His father described the recruitment process.

“The recruitment process is bizarre … There is no set standard on how you’re recruited. Every team, every sport has a different method, so as an example Mitch got invited to go to several different football games if coaches or teams felt that they were just interested in him. We would go to a college game and have a presentation process where they would talk to all the recruits. In a way also its kind of game. It’s almost like playing poker in a way because no one is showing all their cards,” John said.

College athletics are not for everyone. There are certain requirements that athletes need in order to succeed at their sport. Mitchell Hlay happens to fit those requirements. His success is completely based on how he prepares, not only physically but mentally as well.