Recently an athlete, a prospective college bound football player, Jervon Graves, came to me for training to get faster and develop his agility. As a junior he was an All-State selection in the state’s largest school classification, but said he was determined to “get better”. He and his father wanted him to qualify for a NCAA D-1 football scholarship.
After our initial meeting I felt I could and wanted to help him. Physically he was 6?1? and near 300lbs, however he did not look to be a D-1caliber athlete. In our first training session, he did not demonstrate good footwork which of course limited his agility.
In that first training session as we prepared to pull speed sleds, I asked him if he was ready. His response to me was “Coach, I was born ready”! I wasn’t facing him and nearly laughed, but when I turned and saw his face, the determination and passion was transparent. I didn’t laugh! I knew then I had one of those unique athletes that would do whatever they could to reach their optimum capability.
That proved to be true. Following a tough summer, it felt I could not work him hard enough, training specifically for speed, quickness, improved footwork and agility, he entered his senior year prepared to excel. He not only was named to his school’s classification All-State team, he was selected by the State Coaches to their top eleven team. His school retired his football jersey number, only the second jersey number to be retired in the school’s history. Wow, what he did for himself to reach that level.
He did receive a NCAA D-1 scholarship and started their first game at nose guard. That 800 hp “hemi diesel engine” he demonstrated, according to him at birth……set him apart, even when he did not initially look the part. Jervon was and is an inspiration! Some young athletes simply “get it done”.
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