Q: How long have you been playing your sports?
A: Wrestling I have not tried it yet, but everyone always says I’d be good at it, so I think I’m going to try it this year. Football, I’ve played since I was a freshman in high school and I play flag in middle school because my mom wouldn’t let me play tackle.
Q: Did you ever play any other sports growing up?
A: My first sport was soccer, but I didn’t like it that much, I like more contact sports. I played basketball too, before football, because I didn’t have that football background. I never watched it on TV or anything so I played a little of everything and then football really started as a freshman in high school. Once I started playing football that’s all I cared about.
Q: How much training do you do per day or week on a yearly basis?
A: It’s a lot different throughout the year. In-season we have three-hour practices, every day after school, we don’t have Saturday practices, only in the summer. In the offseason, it’s a bit different, we have three-hour practices and I keep about one off day to keep my mind right, but after that it’s three weight training and cardio day.
Q: How does your training differ when you are in-season compared to offseason?
A: It’s a lot different on the regiment. In the offseason, there are no coaches, so you have to have your own way and work for yourself. In-season, it’s a lot more field work and weight room work, well that’s about the same, but just more on the field in-season.
Q: Do you have downtime away from sports?
A: Kind of, not always voluntarily. I broke my jaw in the spring, but outside of things like that, I don’t really take a full break from football. There may be times in the summer I may not go as much, but I’m always practicing for football.
Q: Rating the sports you play versus academics, which is more important in your life?
A: My mom always told me, it’s family first, then academics, and then sports, so I try to keep it that way even though sports and academics are almost equal.
Q: Besides sports, in what way are you uniquely gifted?
A: I think my work ethic in general, but that applies to sports as well. I also play some instruments, but athletics has been mainly my gift.
Q: What skills do sports teach you that you apply to life?
A: There’s a lot more than I can think off the top of my head, but definitely, work ethic, dedication, commitment, also the relationships you make really teaches you that you have to be close to people and if you have shared common goal it’s a lot easier to push forward and succeed.
Q: What goals do you have for your senior year, academically and/or athletically?
A: Academically, I want to get my GPA up so I can have a chance to get more opportunities, if I were to get a football scholarship, that would be great, and I also want to be a leader for my team.
Q: What are your personal dreams?
A: To be successful, be happy but the specifics ... I haven’t figured out so much yet.
Q: What has been your best high school sports moment?
A: My first varsity game, I was a sophomore, and we played Marathon, where my cousin goes, and he was in the stands, being my first time playing varsity, I wanted to play so well and I got an interception in that game, and I remember hearing them after and how they reacted to it. It was the best moment.
Q: Any coaches, teachers or family members who have helped you get to this point?
A: My mom and my dad have definitely both contributed. My mom has always kept telling me to keep my nutrients right and, my dad, has helped me with so many offseason workouts or just getting me to the weight room, has been huge. Then coach (Alphonso) Bryant and coach (Herbert) James did a great job and coach (Ed) Holly, once he got here, changed the whole energy of the team and that’s been the biggest change on our team this year.
Q: What advice would you give to the next generation of Conchs?
A: Stay committed and work hard. If you put your best in the game, that’s really all you can do, so try your best and trust your teammates.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve received?
A: Run fast, hit hard.
Q: Having invested so much time — physically, mentally and emotionally — in your sport, in what way can you have proper closure during your senior year?
A: Just putting everything out on the field you can. Deep down, everybody knows what they could have given, their real potential, so if I gave everything I had this season, I’ll be satisfied.
Q: Anywhere in the world you want to visit?
A: I would like to visit a lot of places. I’ve never been out of the country, Puerto Rico is the farthest I’ve been, but that’s still technically the U.S. so out of the country, anywhere, just to explore.
Q: Do you have any hobbies outside of sports?
A: I switched around a lot because I get bored of stuff pretty easily, but I tried a lot of archery, I used to hunt, more last year, went to the Hamptons, and got a deer. So sport is a big part of who I am. Outside of that, no too much, just hanging out with my friend and working out, even outside of football. I don’t think I’ll ever stop trying to upgrade my health.
Q: What are some challenges you’ve faced as a student-athlete?
A: Balancing football, work, home and school, for sure. You have to stay on top of your grades while being the best on the field, while also keeping up with stuff at home, so balancing all three is hard.
Q: If you could add one hour to your day, what would you do with it?
A: Bettering myself in some way. I don’t know if it would be the same every day, so as long as I am doing something to get better, then every day I will get better.
Q: What are your plans for after high school?
A: Still not 100% sure. I think it depends a lot on my opportunities after this season. Obviously, if I got a college football scholarship, I’d take that.
Q: No matter the size or location of the school, you will take a football scholarship?
A: Yeah, we are from a small school now, so I don’t think that would make much difference to me.
Q: Is there any one skill you feel you need to improve on to make it at the collegiate level?
A: As a middle linebacker, I’d undersized, so I need to put some weight on and get stronger and faster. I need to get better at everything to a degree, but those are the main ones.
Q: What is something you would tell your college roommate about the Keys?
A: It’s small but you’ll know your friends more than if you were from a big city.
Q: On your first trip back home, what will be the meal you ask for?
A: My mom’s chili is definitely up there. I’ll never forget that it’s so good.
Q: Do you have any career aspirations?
A: I’m not sure, I know I’m giving college is where I want to start, but after that, not everyone has a 100% plan and if they do, they don’t always stick to that plan. I want to do business after college, I think, but I don’t know for sure, so I’ll stick to being successful in whatever way possible.