| Tim Tebow became a household name for most | | | | become a household name. The high school |
| sports fans during his four year career playing | | | | football career of the future first round NFL draft |
| quarterback for the University of Florida (UF) | | | | pick quarterback began very discreetly while Tim |
| Gators football team during the 2006, 2007, 2008, | | | | was home schooled and playing linebacker and |
| and 2009 seasons. While even casual sports fans | | | | tight end at Trinity Christian Academy in |
| are familiar with the Heisman Trophy winning | | | | Jacksonville, Florida. As many amateur football |
| quarterback fewer are aware of what his early | | | | analysts with 20/20 hindsight can attest the full |
| life bio was like long before being drafted by the | | | | potential of Tim's athleticism, throwing ability, and |
| Denver Broncos in April of 2010 or signing on to | | | | leadership skills were underutilized at the tight end |
| play college football for coach Urban Meyer at the | | | | position on offense. |
| University of Florida. | | | | In a successful effort to find a high school football |
| Tim was born in August of 1987 in the Philippines | | | | program where Tim could flourish as a |
| in a city that most Americans have never heard | | | | quarterback Tim and his mother moved from |
| of called Makati City. The seemingly odd location | | | | their family farm in Duval County to an apartment |
| of his birth is a result of the Christian missionary | | | | in neighboring St. Johns County in Florida so that |
| work that his parents Robert and Pamela were | | | | Tim would be eligible to play at Nease High School. |
| doing in the South Pacific at the time. Robert and | | | | In large part because Tim was such a standout |
| Pamela met at the University of Florida and for | | | | athlete upset parents of opposing players were |
| many years now the couple oversees an | | | | frustrated that as a home schooled student |
| orphanage in the Philippines. | | | | athlete he essentially had his pick of any team to |
| Tim, along with his siblings, was home schooled | | | | play for. |
| from an early age. The motivation of the family | | | | Tim was named the state of Florida Player of the |
| to have the mother homeschool the children was | | | | Year following both his junior and senior seasons |
| largely motivated by the desire to have a certain | | | | in high school. Among the numerous accolades |
| faith based set of beliefs instilled into their children, | | | | that he accumulated during his prep career were |
| a set of morals that the family felt would be | | | | recognition as an all-state football player and being |
| taught more effectively at home rather than in a | | | | named a Parade All-American. In a turn of events |
| traditional school setting. Although this premise | | | | that certainly would have surprised the Trinity |
| makes sense when comparing homeschooling to | | | | High School football coaches in Duval County who |
| traditional public schools why the family did not | | | | placed Tim at tight end Tebow was named as |
| choose a private parochial education is unclear. | | | | one of the best high school football players in the |
| A 1996 Florida piece of legislation allowing home | | | | hundred year history of Florida high school football |
| schooled children to compete in high school sports | | | | as one of 33 members of the FHSAA (Florida |
| within the local school districts they lived in actually | | | | High School Athletic Association) All-Century |
| paved the way for Tim Tebow to eventually | | | | Team. |