UCLA football coaches’ letter surprises Henderson teenager

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008 | 8 p.m.

Like most 13-year-olds, Cody Mucino doesn't receive much mail.

Cody, an eighth grader at Del Webb Middle School and one of the Las Vegas Valley's top middle school football players, usually gets cards for his birthday and during the holidays.

So, when a letter addressed to Cody arrived at the Mucino house in Henderson two weeks ago, his mother, Joanne Mucino, thought it was relatives sending a holiday card.

Without looking, she handed the letter to Cody who — like any child opening a rare piece of mail — tore open the envelope anxious to see the fortune on the inside.

What Cody found, however, was much more than those cards grandma would send with a fresh $20 bill.

It was a hand-written letter from the football coaches at UCLA congratulating him on his football success. Cody, who plays virtually every position on the field, is the star of the Silverado Skyhawks Middle School Football League team, which won the league title Dec. 6.

More importantly, and what probably impressed coaches at UCLA, Cody was one of 60 eighth graders picked to participated in the inaugural Football University Youth All-American Bowl on Jan. 4 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Cody, who will be a freshman at Coronado next fall, is arguably more sought-after by colleges than certain high school seniors on the bubble to find a place at a Division I school.

Recruiting is big business, and Cody could be a gem for the signing class of 2013.

Cody, who is characterized by family as being shy and humble, had a grin from ear-to-ear after opening the letter. He has a passion for football, mostly because it's a game he plays with his friends, and he has always dreamed of playing in college.

A solid performance in San Antonio will keep Cody's mailbox full until his senior year.

"I'm kind of nervous but really excited to be playing there," Cody said. "It's going to be different playing against the top players."

NCAA rules prohibit colleges from recruiting athletes until Sept. 1 of their junior year. However, they are allowed to send a letter of interest similar to what Cody received along with a questionnaire so they can monitor his progress. UCLA was so intent on contacting Cody that it also sent a letter to his counselor at Del Webb.

Major colleges recruiting athletes three or four years away from signing is commonplace. Arbor View sophomore basketball player Maiscei Grier, for instance, verbally committed to Rutgers last year before he played one minute of high school basketball. Grier started last year on the freshman team. A verbal commitment doesn't become official until an athlete signs, which for football is during the first week of February each year.

Cody, who is 5 feet, 6 inches and 130 pounds, hasn't started weight training — a practice for football player that starts in ninth grade — and isn't sure if he'll be assigned to the freshman, junior varsity or varsity team at Coronado in the fall. He set a Del Webb record for running a 6 second 50-yard dash and has scored touchdowns seemingly at will for most of his youth career, making him an ideal candidate to be one of the select few who play varsity all four years.

While proud of her son, Joanne Mucino is making sure the letter doesn't make him too confident. She stresses to him to continue playing the game because it is a chance to be with his friends and have fun.

"We were surprised, too. We didn't expect it," she said of the letter. "We tell him to keep working hard."

Sports Editor Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or [email protected].