Von Steuben grad Kaymen Coleman perseveres, will play Division I football at Chicago State in August

Eight years after coming to Von Steuben as a 5-4, 100-pound freshman, Kaymen Coleman is set to realize his dream of playing Division I football this fall.

Coleman recently committed to play for Chicago State's start-up FCS program, which is scheduled to play its first game in August.

His story is the stuff of a Hollywood feel-good story: four previous college stops (at two of which he never saw the field), two broken collarbones and time away from the game working security at a big-box store.

The only constant, according to Coleman and his trainer, has been his unwillingness to give up in the face of seemingly unrelenting adversity.

'It's going to be surreal," Coleman said of finally suiting up as a DI player. "Since I was a kid, I remember looking up at the TV" watching major-college games. Now, he'll finally have a chance to play in one.

The support of his family has helped him through the hard times. When he shared the news of his commitment, Coleman said, "my mom had tears in her eyes."

His relatives know what Coleman has been through since earning All-City second-team honors at defensive back as a senior at Von Steuben. Also a receiver, he scored eight touchdowns and had around 1,000 all-purpose yards.

"That was the first time I got an opportunity to be the guy," he said.

But Coleman was still just 5-10, 140 and the Panthers played in a low-profile conference. He didn't have any scholarship offers and decided to walk on at Iowa Central Community College.

"I earned a scholarship by the spring [of 2023]," he said. "I was training the hardest I ever had. I came back [in the fall] ready for it to be my time."

But during preseason camp, Coleman broke his collarbone. Attempting to come back before the season was over, he fractured it again. Around that time, he also was coping with what he said was "the death of a close one in gun violence, someone I loved."

Coleman's practice film caught the eye of coaches at Dodge City Community College in Kansas. But between the time he committed and the time he arrived on campus, a new staff took over.

"My head coach [at Dodge City] tells me if I want to play this year, I should probably transfer," Coleman said.

His next stop was NAIA William Penn University in Iowa for the fall of 2024. It took till the middle of the season for his eligibility to be approved by the NAIA.

He played in one game, catching one pass for 11 yards.

"I felt like maybe I needed to go home and evaluate myself, see what I can do better," Coleman said.

He got a job in January of 2025 working security at Burlington while continuing to hit the gym and work with Brandon Vinson at 4th Quarter Receiver Training.

"He's been through a lot of doubt," Vinson said. "He really just closed out all the noise and worked. He hasn't faked it, he hasn't took the time off."

Another opportunity opened up closer to home at NAIA Judson in Elgin. Despite another coaching change, Coleman finally found the field this past fall. He caught 33 passes for 239 yards and a TD, and finished with 277 all-purpose yards for the 1-10 Eagles.

"This year was a pretty tough year," he said. "I made the most of every opportunity I had. I was just grateful to play ball again."

Coleman who's now 6-2 and 175 pounds, went into the transfer portal and had some feelers from Division II and smaller FCS programs, but nothing felt right until Chicago State reached out.

To be able to help launch a DI program in his hometown meant the world.

"You don't know how many times I was crying tears at night because I really love this game," Coleman said.

"It's not about the money, the fame. I just love playing football."