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University of Minnesota Athletics
Perseverance Personified; Senior Wide Receiver Jermaine Mays
9/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
They get in the game for the whole ride, not willing to cash in their chips until it's their last resort. These people should be admired for their dedication and positive attitude. One of these people is senior wide receiver Jermaine Mays.
It would have been easy for Jermaine Mays to quit the Minnesota football team. He did have two opportunities. Mays was named all-state, all-county and all-city while playing at Jackson High School in Miami, Fla. After coming in to Minnesota as a true freshman in 1998-eyeing a starting position-Mays was just waiting to be granted the NCAA's approval. The NCAA Clearinghouse gave the Golden Gophers the go-ahead to play Mays the Monday before the first game of the season. Mays played in that season opener and the following three games until the NCAA went back on its word. It told Minnesota that Mays could not play, which resulted in him not only being benched the rest of the season, but even more devastating was the withdrawal of Mays' scholarship.
"Paying for my own first year of school - that was the hardest part about it, trying to get money to pay for school," Mays said. "My family had to go get it out of their savings. I had to take out loans. My grandma wanted me to come back home and go to one of the schools around there, but I said no. I liked it up here. I was going to try to stick it out. They told me if I pass all my classes and did well in school it would show the NCAA that I do belong here, and everything will be all right."
Everything was supposed to be all right after sitting out the rest of his freshman season. Mays was improving daily in his studies and continuing to work hard in football practice. He would not let the mix-up burst his dream of playing collegiate football. The following two seasons, Mays played in all 24 games of his sophomore and junior years. He participated in 663 plays, with 26 receptions for 394 yards and three touchdowns, and thrived as a kickoff returner in 2000. The speedy wide receiver that Minnesota only had glimpses of in four games during '98 was finally able to prove that he deserved to play collegiate football. All this on the field while maintaining his studies in the classroom. Things seemed to be right on track for Mays to have a dream senior season in 2001 when the NCAA came knocking again. Mays needed to sit out his entire senior season as a result of the events concerning the Clearinghouse three years prior. Mays couldn't believe that the NCAA was going to deter him from playing yet again.
"I'm getting ready for my senior year, and they came back at me again right before the season," Mays explained. "And I couldn't play my senior year because of my freshman year. It was just like 'Oh man, here we go again.' So I had to sit out last year - that was really hard, my senior year, trying to stay motivated throughout practice. So I just came to practice everyday, just having fun, trying not to think about it, going out there and giving the starting defense a good look and having fun while I was doing it. My grandma always told me, 'What does not kill you is just going to make you stronger.' That's life. I learned from what happened and just keep moving on. You're always going to have stuff come up that you're not going to be ready for, but if you overcome it, it's good for you."
Because Mays had played as a true freshman, he still had a year in which he could possibly redshirt. His 2001 season consisted of practices and a lot of watching from the sidelines. With more time on his hands, Mays was able to continue working hard on his studies. Football was not the number one concern for an entire season, so Mays reprioritized his life. "School moved up, because I had more time. I wasn't going to the away games. I was still practicing, but I had more time to do homework and study. It's not like I was dying. I just couldn't play football last year. You just have to move on. Coaches would talk to me at the end of practice everyday and they told me to just keep doing what you're doing. I motivated myself - go to practice and have fun."
The importance of study to Mays is no longer just about maintaining grades to stay eligible. This May, he will be the first member of his family to walk across a stage and receive a college degree. When it comes to life accomplishments, nothing on the field could match the pride Mays will feel after earning his diploma. "It's going to feel real good," Mays commented, smiling. "Especially where I come from. Nobody from my family had gone to college before. I'm going to be the first one to graduate - that's a big deal. I'm going to be the first one, and then my kids are going to look up to me. And I can say to them that I did it, and so can you. Don't let anyone try and get you down, saying you're too dumb or that you won't make it through college. Anybody can make it through college, you just have to get through those ups and downs."
"Working my way through college and being the first to graduate, that means a lot to me and to my family. Football is second - it's something I love doing, but going through college and to have my family be there on graduation day will be the happiest day of my life."
Finally, this year, Jermaine Mays is cleared to play his senior season. Amazingly, throughout everything, talking to Mays at any point during the NCAA situation, a person would have been unable to detect that he was sitting out versus when he was playing in the games. Mays has protected his positive attitude. He is not bitter. He does not hold a grudge. He is happy to be allowed to complete his Minnesota football career on the field, but even if it would have ended on the sidelines, it is doubtful Mays would be resentful. "I take everything one day at a time. I try not to look too far ahead. Everyday I try to have a good day. If I see someone, I try to make them happy. I just have fun everyday. I try not to be mean and mad all the time about the little stuff, because I never know when my time's going to come. So, whenever I leave, I want to have a positive effect on everyone I've met."
Mays' unending positive attitude has made him an example for everyone on the team. "They kind of use me as an example. I came out of high school and didn't have the best of grades. But I tried my best, and with tutors and counselors helping me every step of the way, I did it. They use me as an example all the time: 'If Mays can do it, then you should do it too.' Going to class everyday, and trying your best. Coach Mason is always saying, 'Do your best. If you do your best, you'll be happy' - that's how I look at it."
By working hard and persevering through more than the average college student-athlete must face, the Minnesota coaching staff is happy to have a player like Mays that they can rely on to be a leader and set an example. Wide receivers coach Richard Wilson noted that the Gopher football team could not have a better story of a student-athlete to motivate the team. "Most impressive is how Jermaine leads by example. He beat all the odds. People questioned if he had the intensity to get back in the game. For him to come back was a big commitment. He exemplifies the saying about tough times coming and going, but tough guys working through it. Mays has proved that. In a time when everyone wants things right now, he has shown patience," Wilson remarked.
Mays confirmed his responsibility of being a pillar of Minnesota football. "On and off the field, I'm a leader. I lead by example. Around the field on game days, I'll say what needs to be done, then I'll really talk and I'll tell you what you have to hear. But in practice, I lead by example."
Perhaps the best lesson Mays can lead his teammates to is that of never folding, never walking away, without looking deep within. When challenges have arisen, Mays has not only faced them, but overcome them with determination and dedication to himself, his family and his team. In the end, Mays is the ultimate winner in life. "You can make it through life. You're going to have things come your way, but you have to look past them and do your best. Don't look down on yourself because things don't go your way. Life goes on."
Written by Athletics Media Relations Student Assistant Courtney Walerius
There are many people in life that don't like the cards they are dealt. Some have genuine reasons to complain, but most of the time, people are griping over things that are just part of living. Then there are the rare cases of people who get dealt a terrible hand, and instead of folding right there and walking away bitter, they decide to play it out and see where it takes them.
They get in the game for the whole ride, not willing to cash in their chips until it's their last resort. These people should be admired for their dedication and positive attitude. One of these people is senior wide receiver Jermaine Mays.
It would have been easy for Jermaine Mays to quit the Minnesota football team. He did have two opportunities. Mays was named all-state, all-county and all-city while playing at Jackson High School in Miami, Fla. After coming in to Minnesota as a true freshman in 1998-eyeing a starting position-Mays was just waiting to be granted the NCAA's approval. The NCAA Clearinghouse gave the Golden Gophers the go-ahead to play Mays the Monday before the first game of the season. Mays played in that season opener and the following three games until the NCAA went back on its word. It told Minnesota that Mays could not play, which resulted in him not only being benched the rest of the season, but even more devastating was the withdrawal of Mays' scholarship.
"Paying for my own first year of school - that was the hardest part about it, trying to get money to pay for school," Mays said. "My family had to go get it out of their savings. I had to take out loans. My grandma wanted me to come back home and go to one of the schools around there, but I said no. I liked it up here. I was going to try to stick it out. They told me if I pass all my classes and did well in school it would show the NCAA that I do belong here, and everything will be all right."
Everything was supposed to be all right after sitting out the rest of his freshman season. Mays was improving daily in his studies and continuing to work hard in football practice. He would not let the mix-up burst his dream of playing collegiate football. The following two seasons, Mays played in all 24 games of his sophomore and junior years. He participated in 663 plays, with 26 receptions for 394 yards and three touchdowns, and thrived as a kickoff returner in 2000. The speedy wide receiver that Minnesota only had glimpses of in four games during '98 was finally able to prove that he deserved to play collegiate football. All this on the field while maintaining his studies in the classroom. Things seemed to be right on track for Mays to have a dream senior season in 2001 when the NCAA came knocking again. Mays needed to sit out his entire senior season as a result of the events concerning the Clearinghouse three years prior. Mays couldn't believe that the NCAA was going to deter him from playing yet again.
"I'm getting ready for my senior year, and they came back at me again right before the season," Mays explained. "And I couldn't play my senior year because of my freshman year. It was just like 'Oh man, here we go again.' So I had to sit out last year - that was really hard, my senior year, trying to stay motivated throughout practice. So I just came to practice everyday, just having fun, trying not to think about it, going out there and giving the starting defense a good look and having fun while I was doing it. My grandma always told me, 'What does not kill you is just going to make you stronger.' That's life. I learned from what happened and just keep moving on. You're always going to have stuff come up that you're not going to be ready for, but if you overcome it, it's good for you."
Because Mays had played as a true freshman, he still had a year in which he could possibly redshirt. His 2001 season consisted of practices and a lot of watching from the sidelines. With more time on his hands, Mays was able to continue working hard on his studies. Football was not the number one concern for an entire season, so Mays reprioritized his life. "School moved up, because I had more time. I wasn't going to the away games. I was still practicing, but I had more time to do homework and study. It's not like I was dying. I just couldn't play football last year. You just have to move on. Coaches would talk to me at the end of practice everyday and they told me to just keep doing what you're doing. I motivated myself - go to practice and have fun."
The importance of study to Mays is no longer just about maintaining grades to stay eligible. This May, he will be the first member of his family to walk across a stage and receive a college degree. When it comes to life accomplishments, nothing on the field could match the pride Mays will feel after earning his diploma. "It's going to feel real good," Mays commented, smiling. "Especially where I come from. Nobody from my family had gone to college before. I'm going to be the first one to graduate - that's a big deal. I'm going to be the first one, and then my kids are going to look up to me. And I can say to them that I did it, and so can you. Don't let anyone try and get you down, saying you're too dumb or that you won't make it through college. Anybody can make it through college, you just have to get through those ups and downs."
"Working my way through college and being the first to graduate, that means a lot to me and to my family. Football is second - it's something I love doing, but going through college and to have my family be there on graduation day will be the happiest day of my life."
Finally, this year, Jermaine Mays is cleared to play his senior season. Amazingly, throughout everything, talking to Mays at any point during the NCAA situation, a person would have been unable to detect that he was sitting out versus when he was playing in the games. Mays has protected his positive attitude. He is not bitter. He does not hold a grudge. He is happy to be allowed to complete his Minnesota football career on the field, but even if it would have ended on the sidelines, it is doubtful Mays would be resentful. "I take everything one day at a time. I try not to look too far ahead. Everyday I try to have a good day. If I see someone, I try to make them happy. I just have fun everyday. I try not to be mean and mad all the time about the little stuff, because I never know when my time's going to come. So, whenever I leave, I want to have a positive effect on everyone I've met."
Mays' unending positive attitude has made him an example for everyone on the team. "They kind of use me as an example. I came out of high school and didn't have the best of grades. But I tried my best, and with tutors and counselors helping me every step of the way, I did it. They use me as an example all the time: 'If Mays can do it, then you should do it too.' Going to class everyday, and trying your best. Coach Mason is always saying, 'Do your best. If you do your best, you'll be happy' - that's how I look at it."
By working hard and persevering through more than the average college student-athlete must face, the Minnesota coaching staff is happy to have a player like Mays that they can rely on to be a leader and set an example. Wide receivers coach Richard Wilson noted that the Gopher football team could not have a better story of a student-athlete to motivate the team. "Most impressive is how Jermaine leads by example. He beat all the odds. People questioned if he had the intensity to get back in the game. For him to come back was a big commitment. He exemplifies the saying about tough times coming and going, but tough guys working through it. Mays has proved that. In a time when everyone wants things right now, he has shown patience," Wilson remarked.
Mays confirmed his responsibility of being a pillar of Minnesota football. "On and off the field, I'm a leader. I lead by example. Around the field on game days, I'll say what needs to be done, then I'll really talk and I'll tell you what you have to hear. But in practice, I lead by example."
Perhaps the best lesson Mays can lead his teammates to is that of never folding, never walking away, without looking deep within. When challenges have arisen, Mays has not only faced them, but overcome them with determination and dedication to himself, his family and his team. In the end, Mays is the ultimate winner in life. "You can make it through life. You're going to have things come your way, but you have to look past them and do your best. Don't look down on yourself because things don't go your way. Life goes on."
Written by Athletics Media Relations Student Assistant Courtney Walerius
