I spent most of my life being wrapped up with sports, specifically football. I am the son of a football, track, and basketball coach, so I was very early introduced to the world of sports. Ever since I was a baby, I have always loved sports. My mom still tells people how when I was a baby, my favorite toy was a ball and would play with it for hours. I personally remember watching college and NFL games when I was 2-3 years old. I guess you could say me and sports "were just meant to be".

I started my athletic career when I was 5 years old when my parents signed me up for soccer in a nearby league. I was as you say "the star player". I was known for scoring goals, stripping the ball from other players, and even stealing the ball from my own teammates and kicking it in my own goal. Soon after, I started playing basketball in my church league where me and my dad would start a dynasty that didn't end until I was too old to play (11 years old). From the period when I was 7-11, me and my dad won the league championship every year. We also started a flag football league at the church in the summer that lasted 3 years, and my dad and I won the championship all 3 years. We dominated North Metro sports, it was an amazing era.

Ever since I was little, I had begged my parents to let me play tackle football. I was tired of flag football, and not being to hit somebody. My dad was afraid I would not be coached correctly, and would fall victim of "daddy ball" which has ruined little league football across the country for years. However, when I was 12 years old, my dad finally let me play. As detailed above, I had developed a winning pedigree as a player and loved winning. That was not the case with this team, we went 0-8 and got blown out of the water almost every game. What a way to start though, right? However, this didn't discourage me as I continued playing until I got to HS.

As an underclassman, I didn't get much opportunity at the varsity level. But once juniors year rolled around, that was not the case anymore. I played for a very accomplished and storied football program in Georgia, Buford. Since 2000, we have won 11 state championships and 17 region championships. However, we had not appeared in the state championship since 2016, and not won one since 2014. We broke the drought & won it my last 2 years of HS (see pic to see rings).

I was fortunate to receive offers to play at the college level but declined them to come to UGA, and I couldn't be happier.