Jalen Crawford '20 Recruiting Profile

I was never really an athlete when I was younger. I would run races against my friends, I was very fast, and would win. Not even sure why, but it helped me to become interested in football. I became interested in football in my second year of middle school. It was a sport where I could use my running skills and it challenged me as well. Once I started playing football in 7th grade, I learned that I loved the sport more and more. It became a passion for me. Then in 8th grade, I was kicked off the team due to peer pressures. I allowed outside influences to stop me from playing what I loved and I knew then I had to do better. I had to make better choices and overcome this obstacle.

Once I came to high school, I chose to have better influences. I became a leader, started following my own path and no longer allowed negative influences to take over my life. I used the positive role models such as my parents, coaches and surrounded myself with good friends to help me progress. With changing my views, it allowed me to become a captain on my football team. My coaches look to me to help be a peer mentor to my teammates and younger children at the elementary school as well.  

I made goals for myself, to always do my best as a student athlete. I’ve achieved one goal already by being inducted into the Fitzgerald Chapter of the National Honor society. My plan is to continue with scholastic and athletic achievements as my high school career comes to an end in a couple years, and then transfer those same characteristics into my college career.