While driving he noticed a very tall man sitting on a bench eating a bowl of food. I looked at his knees and he looked tall even though he was sitting. . . . He called George Washington University assistant coach Ed Meyers, who flew there four days later to meet Dare. Ukwu paid for Dare's plane ticket to come to America. The influx of international athletes to American schools wouldn't happen without people like Ukwu.
Coaches often develop long-standing relationships with middlemen who can steer players their way.
Dare had already graduated from high school in Nigeria when he came to the United States, but he spoke no English. He attended Milford Academy, a prep school in Connecticut, for a year before enrolling at George Washington. The coach at Milford at the time was Scott Spinelli, who once played under then-George Washington coach Mike Jarvis. Ukwu said Jarvis sent Dare to Spinelli's school because he knew the coach would deliver the player to George Washington. Mike Jarvis was afraid of him becoming a big name . . .