Wednesday, December 12, 2007
PERSISTANCE LEADS TO SUCCESS
It was my junior year in high school and also my first year ever touching a football. The courage it took to step on the field with guy’s twice my size ultimately brought me to where I am today. I stood at 5’10 145 pounds just finishing my 6 year career in the marching band. As I think back, I really did not know what I was thinking when I told myself that football was my new hobby or what I called my new “extra curricular activity”. I guess the peer pressure and the ridicule from my peers had a lasting effect on me, but everything inside of me wanted to prove to them that I could play football.
Once I finally got on the field (the practice field), what kept me fearless was the realization that the guys lining up across from me were my friends from the neighborhood. Unfortunately, that did not stop them from laying punishment on me in addition to helping me endure some of the worst pain that my body has ever experienced. As the year ended, I grew tired of lending my fresh equipment out during each game, which by the way left me almost bare without any equipment on by the fourth quarter. Furthermore, getting playing time only when we were down by 35 or more, was just as embarrassing as being known as the “human equipment room”.
By my senior year, after intense training and a disciplined eating habit, I returned with a vengeance and quickly became a key starter on defense. My teammates and I finished the season 0-8, but our record did not match the amount of talent we had on our roster. Being from a city that had a “bad reputation of breeding athletes with negative characteristics and low work ethic”, the chances of any college scout or coach coming to recruit me was very low. It was ONLY by chance that I came across a coach from Ferris State University (Division II) who gave me an opportunity to play college ball. One year later after my freshman year at Ferris, I transferred to Michigan State University football and landed a spot on the team roster. As a result of persistence, hard work and natural athleticism, I eventually locked a spot on the second team defense (considering I walked on and was behind an All Big Ten canidate). As of today, I am continuing my football career at the professional level playing Arena Football while still aspiring to play in the NFL. The many playing opportunities that were given to me are of high value. I would have never thought that I would be playing side by side with the same All Americans I envied while I was in high school nor did I think I would playing against great players in the Arena Football League.
As I look at top ranked University of South Florida’s roster and see how a majority of their players did not receive a single Division I scholarship, I speculate all the possible stories they may own. In addition, the USF football team has also helped produce three future 2008 first round picks who will finally receive all the benefits of their hard work and drive to better themselves as an athlete. There are many over rated athletes, but there are even more over looked athletes who desire for an open door of opportunity. We at DAASH ( a online recruiting business and academic assistance for athletes) know what an athlete needs because we are the athlete and athletes are us. Now standing at 6’2 260 pounds I am not just the President of DAASH Athletic Enterprises, Inc., I have been where many athletes want to go and have overcome many difficulties while getting there, now I am creating a way for more athletes to receive the exposure they deserve.
Eze Ejelonu
President / CEO
DAASH Athletic Enterprises
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