2021 CA ATH Luke Knightley Enjoyed Competing At Notre Dame's Elite Skills Camp

2021 Bishop Diego (Calif.) athlete Luke Knightley‍ made his way out from the West Coast to South Bend for Notre Dame’s Elite Skills Camp on Saturday. It was the 6-foot-2, 180-pounder's first trip to Notre Dame and it didn’t disappoint. 

“It was good, and I enjoyed it,” Knightley told Irish Sports Daily. “I liked the high level of competitiveness the camp brought.” 

The chance to work with receivers coach Del Alexander was one of the highlights for Knightley as he got to be a sponge during the camp. 

“He had a lot to teach me and brought a lot of skills to the table,” explained Knightley. “He tells you what to do and lets you go from there. If he see’s you struggling or needing further instruction, he hopped in and gave us further demonstration.” 

As a Catholic, Notre Dame was one of the schools Knightley has had his eye on as he gets his recruiting process started. 

“I’ve always wanted to keep a strong Catholic faith, and I go to a Catholic school now,” stated Knightley. “Going to Notre Dame, I always wanted to keep God in the picture when thinking about college. 

“I didn’t know a whole lot about Notre Dame. My family isn’t die-hard Notre Dame fans, but we’ve kept eyes on Notre Dame football.” 

While it was pouring rain on Saturday afternoon, Knightley arrived in South Bend on Friday and got to tour the campus. 

“I got to campus a day early, so I was able to walk around when the weather was good,” said Knightley. “I went to the Basilica, The Gug and all the places around campus.

“I’ve been to close to 10 colleges, and it was the most beautiful campus I’ve ever visited. The architecture was crazy. I enjoyed it.” 

Knightley will continue the camp circuit in the coming weeks on the West Coast. 

“At the end of this month, I’m going up to Cal Poly’s camp,” Knightley said. “Before the trip to Notre Dame, I had unofficial visits to UCLA and USC.” 

The California native also saw some key differences between Notre Dame and the Los Angeles schools he’s visited.

“The culture was different,” stated Knightley. “At Notre Dame, everyone has a strong culture around God, and the architecture around the school is a lot different than the inner city feel at UCLA and USC. LA is a lot different than South Bend.” 

The recruiting process is just getting started for Knightley, but he does know a few factors he will be looking for in a future school.

“I’m looking for a big school,” said Knightley. “I’ve always wanted to go to a big school. I want to keep God in the picture as well. I want to find a good overall family community too.”