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Opportunity rang for Washington High School senior Marek Bates, and he quickly responded.

He was contacted by Muskingum University, an NCAA Division III school, about playing college football. After an official visit in March, Bates said he knew this was where he wanted to be.

We spoke with him about his news, why he chose the Ohio-based school and what’s next for him.

1. How did the school come into play? And what led from point A to point B to you deciding that was the best place for you to go?

“The school had reached out to me through a recruiting app called NCSA (NCSASports.org). I was just checking their athletics and their academics is what made my final decision. Out of all the colleges that have contacted me, their academics and athletics were on top. And I prioritize my academics. It is a really good school. They had nice coaches, nice facilities. They have a lot of stuff for me that I like. Teachers are nice. It’s a really diverse school.”

2. So, when did you make the visit?

I made the visit on the 28th of March. I’m looking to major in sports medicine and a minor in physical therapy. Hopefully, go to big leagues and just hang out with professional athletes and help them.”

3. What got you interested in sports medicine?

I’ve been hurt a couple of times, and I’ve seen a lot of my teammates get hurt, and I’ve never been able to really help. And I just want to make sure they can play the game they love, because I know there are people out there who love the game just as much as me or more than me.

“I know the injury just sucks when you can’t do the thing you love. So I just want to be able to help them out as much as I can.”

4. What has the school specifically told you they want you to do as far as position-wise or routine-wise? I’m sure if you haven’t already started, you’ll be starting a health regimen, weightlifting, all that.

“I think they want me where I’m at now at linebacker. And they have an app, and their coach, their lineman coach, is a professional nutritionist. He’ll have us on an app showing us what we can eat, how much we need to eat.

“And the weightlifting coach, they’ll have certain things on your notes or your calendar, shows you what you need to do at a certain time, like a certain lift, just to make sure you’re staying as healthy as possible. After games, everyone who’s played in the game is mandatory to go see an athletic trainer, to do a full checkup, see if you’re OK.

“But they do have a lot of stuff to make sure that you’re healthy and the best athlete that you can be as possible.”

5. Tell me what you have learned the most from your time at Washington? Because you’ve obviously been very active, especially on the defensive side, wrestling and participating in track. What will help you the most at the next level?

“I think I’ve learned a lot about patience, because the seasons we’ve had just weren’t what we wanted, what we didn’t expect. I’ve learned a lot of patience through that, and everything has to be earned, not given. I was patient, and I was able to receive this blessing to play at the next level.

“It was a tough decision to figure out, going all the way up there. But I’ve talked with a lot of my family and it’s just the best option for me. That’s what I see myself succeeding at this school, which is honestly my biggest goal, is just to increase my grades and my academics to a super high level.”