Colten Koons
Class of 2026
Offensive Line
Committed to Misericordia
Colten Koons, a recent offensive line commit from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, began attending AFL at the end of his junior season. What started as hearing about the CAP Program from a couple of teammates turned into a defining moment in his football career and personal development.
“Before joining the CAP program all that I had heard was from a couple of my teammates that had gone before me, and I heard from them that if you wanted to get recruited and play college football that that was the place I needed to go,” Koons said. The advice he received from his teammates proved to be true, as Koons recently announced his commitment to continue his football career at Misericordia University.
Since Koons first started attending AFL, what stood out most to him was the people inside the building. Koons had nothing but high praise for the coaching staff describing them as, “a group of coaches that truly care about what the kids in the CAP Program become. I feel that all of them have helped me tremendously throughout my recruiting journey and I feel that they only want what is best for every kid.” That care and attention, he says, shows up daily through the way the coaches push the athletes to reach their maximum potential.
Beyond the overall culture inside the building, Koons said he built strong individual relationships with the coaches. “I feel that both Cregger and Stoner are not only tremendous people but also coaches. I feel like they are always trying to push every kid to be the best version of themselves and to compete every day,” Koons said.
He also spoke highly of the way Coach Kingsley connects with athletes on a personal level. “Coach Kingsley does an outstanding job of communicating with all of the kids in the building and not only pushing them to be the best but also talking to them about their days and lives and making them feel welcomed in the building,” he said.
While the coaching staff played a major role in his development, Koons believes the competitive atmosphere and brotherhood inside AFL was the biggest factor in his development.
“My experience in the building and being around the other guys from the other high schools I would say is the best thing that happened to me in my recruiting process,” Koons said. “Every single one of those guys pushes me to be the best person that I can be. They are extremely supportive and welcoming and they do a great job of making you feel at home and like you're in a community and brotherhood that you can trust.”
Not only did AFL and the CAP Program affect Koons on the field, he was also impacted off the field. When Koons was asked about the CAP Program he said, “Personally, the CAP Program helped me realize what being a good person is all about, and how to lead not only by example, but also with my words.” Koons said that he would recommend this program to not only kids in York County, but also any kid who is aspiring to play football at the next level.
When Koons was asked about one piece of advice for any younger kids looking to play college football, he said, “When you set a goal you need to work at that goal every day no matter what it takes and that if they truly want something then it is theirs to take and they need to work the hardest they can to achieve that goal.” Koons demonstrated and lived by this statement by attending AFL daily since the end of his junior season to achieve his goal of playing college football.
Koons recently committed to Misericordia to play football for the next four years. He said he took visits to a couple of different schools but felt home the first time he stepped foot on the Misericordia campus. “The first time that I walked on campus it just felt like I was at home and not 2 hours away. I felt that I could comfortably live there for four years and not feel uncomfortable at any point.” He said that the coaches, and facilities played a big part in making it feel like home. “I could really tell how much the coaches and the college cared about the education and the wellbeing of the kids. Along with that I felt like the facilities at the college were second to none.” That feeling of comfort and connections made the decision an easy one for Koons, as he looks forward to continuing both his academic and athletic journey at Misericordia.
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