Chris Wolfe”s mother taught him he needed to be the best at whatever he wanted to do.
With five older brothers and sisters, Wolfe missed out on a lot of the friendly competitions that usually exist between siblings.
But the valuable lessons Wolfe learned from his mother, brothers, and sisters paid off Wednesday when the Columbus High School football senior signed a scholarship to play football at Itawamba Community College.
“They kept telling me their mistakes so I would learn from them and become who I am today,” Wolfe said. “They told me not to let anyone tear you down, keep a strong head up, keep your grades up, and don”t give up on what you believe in.”
Teammate Jerquavious “Randy” Brown also signed with East Mississippi C.C.
Wolfe anchored the lines for the Falcons, while Brown played in a variety of roles on both sides of the ball.
“It means a lot to have another chance to go pro and to get a better education,” said Brown, who played running back, wide receiver, and in the secondary this season.
Brown said coach Buddy Stephens and his staff envision him fitting in in the secondary. He said he likely will focus on defense after spending most of his high school career splitting time between offense and defense.
“I want to keep a steady work ethic, play hard, and give it all I have got so I can get to a four-year college,” said Brown, who hopes to play for the University of Georgia.
Wolfe, who is an ”A” – ”B” student, is excited about going to Fulton, where he anticipates playing on the defensive line in ICC”s “hybrid 3-4.” He believes he will play tackle at ICC after spending the past two seasons at that position at Columbus High.
“I plan to work on lateral agility and my speed so maybe I can become an outside linebacker or a linebacker,” said Wolfe, who is 5-foot-11 1/2, 270 pounds. “It is going to be a big challenge, but I can handle the big challenges.”
Columbus High coach Tony Stanford agreed potential is a key word with both players. He praised the leadership abilities of Brown, who was the team”s quarterback his sophomore season.
“He was always willing to play whatever position or whatever role we needed,” Stanford said. “He was a hard worker for us and a good student. … I think he realizes he has to work a little harder if he wants to get to the next level. That is a growing stage, and I think that is where he is headed. I think he is going to go to the next level when he gets through with two years there because he is that type of athlete.”
Stanford said Wolfe is one of the hardest working players he has coached. He said Wolfe, who also is a member of the school”s powerlifting team, never missed practice sessions and was always willing to help his teammates.
“He is another one who I think will play at the next level after junior college because of his work ethic,” Stanford said. “He loves the weight room. He never stopped working. Sometimes a senior gets toward the end of their career and they sack up, but he comes by every day and still gets his workout.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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