James Wiley '19 Recruiting Profile

My goal has been to be in a position to help people and the best way I can think of to do that is get into a Pre-Med or Pre-Professional track in college.  I want to work in Sports Medicine in a field that best suits my ability.  At the same time, I want to continue playing the sports that I love in college:  Football and Track.  I work hard every day and at every event to perfect my craft.  You can verify that with my coaches and by the way I play.  I'm a very coachable, hard working team player looking for a team.  For me, academics and athletics go hand-in-hand.

Sports has opened up so many experiences and doors for me that it’s hard to list them all.  At the end of this year I will have double-lettered in both Varsity Track and Field and Varsity Football.  Though my dad says that luck should never be a factor, I can’t help but think that I have been blessed.  I am the starting Running Back and Long Snapper for the Bellville Brahmas Varsity Football Team.  I couldn’t even have imagined I'd be here at 10 years old when I wanted to quit after my first practice!

I was still quite young at the time and obviously not as physically developed as I am today.  The first practice was so demanding, both physically and mentally that, when it was over, I begged my mother to let me quit.  She reminded me that, so far as my father and she was concerned, once you make a commitment,  you must see it through to the end.  To do otherwise would be unfair - unfair not only to me but to the team that I had committed to.  My dad explained that, “Quitting is one of the easiest things in life that you can do.  That’s why so many folks do it.  It’s easy, and each time you quit, it gets even that much easier.”  That was one of the most important lessons of my life and I thank God every day that they didn’t let me quit. 

Now, I never quit.  Take a look at my game films and you'll see that.  Just like everything else I face now, I see the goal and work hard to achieve it.  That's what I intend to do with my team - whoever that turns out to be - and with my education.