adoniijahsooner
8/13/2009, 07:01 AM
Tulsa World interview. The young man is still focused. I would have posted this in the other thread, but felt this was the best way for people to see it.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/highschool/article.aspx?subjectid=227&articleid=20090813_227_B1_Jarret696157
By age 14, Jarrett Lake was tired of running.
Tired of running from the law and a home life that offered little parental guidance.
"My friends and I got into trouble, stealing bicycles and doing other things," Lake said. "When the police would yell freeze, I would run. I didn't have a positive male role model in my life, and my mom was a single mother raising three children. I really didn't have any guidance whatsoever."
Lake sought counsel from an aunt, Claire Williams, who lived in North Carolina at the time. She stepped in as his legal guardian after he moved in with Williams and her husband.
But the rebellious teen's attitude wore thin with Williams, who promptly sent him back to Connecticut.
Within a week, he was begging for a second chance, vowing to abide by any rules.
Two years at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia followed, during which time he repeated his freshman year of school because he had enrolled too late in North Carolina in 2006 to receive credits for the fall semester.
That was when Lake got his first taste of football, a sport he had never played before. He played in 11 games at Hargrave, injury cutting short one season.
It was at this time that Williams heard about Jenks through her god-sister, Lynda Fleming. "We visited and fell in love with Tulsa and Jenks," Williams said.
Lake and Williams took up residence in Jenks before the 2008-09 school year.
All seemed good for the once-troubled teen. He had two positive role models in his life in his aunts and had also developed a friendship with Trojan teammate Gabe Lynn and Lynn's parents, Tyrone and Ronda.
Lake started nine games for the Trojans, catching 21 passes for 483 yards and four touchdowns while helping Jenks go 12-2 and reach the Class 6A state championship game.
But the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association ruled Lake ineligible and denied Lake's appeal at Tuesday's board meeting, resulting in the forfeiture of nine games by the Trojan football program.
"It was never a case of trying to jeopardize the Jenks football program," said Lake, who sat down Wednesday for a 90-minute interview with the Tulsa World. "I have the support of the Jenks community behind me, which I appreciate.
"It's hard not being able to play this year, not being around the guys. I plan to be around the program and help if I can. But it will be real tough sitting out the season."
But Lake, who turns 18 on Aug. 31, remains positive.
"I have a family and I get to keep my scholarship (to OU). When one door closes, God opens up another door. I now have positive influences in my life. I don't have to carry any burdens."
Said Williams, "It was never a case of trying to pull anything over on anybody. We researched Jenks and Jarrett liked what he saw, not just football but academics also."
Tyrone Lynn said he has heard from OU coaches Bob Stoops, Brent Venables and Jackie Shipp, all of whom assure the teen that his scholarship will be waiting.
Lake and his core support group that includes Williams, Fleming and Tyrone Lynn addressed the issues cited by the OSSAA in its ruling.
The first dealt with his residing with his aunt, who obtained legal guardianship while in North Carolina but only recently received legal standing within the state of Oklahoma.
The second dealt with dual residency. When Lake and his aunt moved to Jenks, Williams' husband remained behind in North Carolina, where the couple were trying to sell their home in Durham.
The OSSAA stated in a letter that "the academic dean at Hargrave Military Academy, confirmed that Lake had not received credit from the last two semesters due to unpaid fees.
"The ineligibility issue with regards to the fees, that was for enrollment," Williams said. "It had nothing to do with academics at all. I had paid for three semesters of school and I wanted his mom to pay for one. I wanted her to have the opportunity to show Jarrett how much she cared for him. She didn't follow through.
"When I discovered it hadn't been paid, I paid it. It had absolutely nothing to do with grades. That is absolutely not true."
Today, Lake maintains a long-distance relationship with his mother, Tonya, who once told her oldest son that he wouldn't live to the age of 17.
"She called Jarrett on his 17th birthday last year and just cried," Williams said. "She was so happy he was alive and well."
Following the OSSAA ruling, Lake withdrew from Jenks in hopes of enrolling at Holland Hall. But he has since decided to re-enroll at Jenks for his senior year and concentrate on academics.
"It's good," Lake said. "I have people who care about me now. I'm on track with my future."
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/highschool/article.aspx?subjectid=227&articleid=20090813_227_B1_Jarret696157
By age 14, Jarrett Lake was tired of running.
Tired of running from the law and a home life that offered little parental guidance.
"My friends and I got into trouble, stealing bicycles and doing other things," Lake said. "When the police would yell freeze, I would run. I didn't have a positive male role model in my life, and my mom was a single mother raising three children. I really didn't have any guidance whatsoever."
Lake sought counsel from an aunt, Claire Williams, who lived in North Carolina at the time. She stepped in as his legal guardian after he moved in with Williams and her husband.
But the rebellious teen's attitude wore thin with Williams, who promptly sent him back to Connecticut.
Within a week, he was begging for a second chance, vowing to abide by any rules.
Two years at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia followed, during which time he repeated his freshman year of school because he had enrolled too late in North Carolina in 2006 to receive credits for the fall semester.
That was when Lake got his first taste of football, a sport he had never played before. He played in 11 games at Hargrave, injury cutting short one season.
It was at this time that Williams heard about Jenks through her god-sister, Lynda Fleming. "We visited and fell in love with Tulsa and Jenks," Williams said.
Lake and Williams took up residence in Jenks before the 2008-09 school year.
All seemed good for the once-troubled teen. He had two positive role models in his life in his aunts and had also developed a friendship with Trojan teammate Gabe Lynn and Lynn's parents, Tyrone and Ronda.
Lake started nine games for the Trojans, catching 21 passes for 483 yards and four touchdowns while helping Jenks go 12-2 and reach the Class 6A state championship game.
But the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association ruled Lake ineligible and denied Lake's appeal at Tuesday's board meeting, resulting in the forfeiture of nine games by the Trojan football program.
"It was never a case of trying to jeopardize the Jenks football program," said Lake, who sat down Wednesday for a 90-minute interview with the Tulsa World. "I have the support of the Jenks community behind me, which I appreciate.
"It's hard not being able to play this year, not being around the guys. I plan to be around the program and help if I can. But it will be real tough sitting out the season."
But Lake, who turns 18 on Aug. 31, remains positive.
"I have a family and I get to keep my scholarship (to OU). When one door closes, God opens up another door. I now have positive influences in my life. I don't have to carry any burdens."
Said Williams, "It was never a case of trying to pull anything over on anybody. We researched Jenks and Jarrett liked what he saw, not just football but academics also."
Tyrone Lynn said he has heard from OU coaches Bob Stoops, Brent Venables and Jackie Shipp, all of whom assure the teen that his scholarship will be waiting.
Lake and his core support group that includes Williams, Fleming and Tyrone Lynn addressed the issues cited by the OSSAA in its ruling.
The first dealt with his residing with his aunt, who obtained legal guardianship while in North Carolina but only recently received legal standing within the state of Oklahoma.
The second dealt with dual residency. When Lake and his aunt moved to Jenks, Williams' husband remained behind in North Carolina, where the couple were trying to sell their home in Durham.
The OSSAA stated in a letter that "the academic dean at Hargrave Military Academy, confirmed that Lake had not received credit from the last two semesters due to unpaid fees.
"The ineligibility issue with regards to the fees, that was for enrollment," Williams said. "It had nothing to do with academics at all. I had paid for three semesters of school and I wanted his mom to pay for one. I wanted her to have the opportunity to show Jarrett how much she cared for him. She didn't follow through.
"When I discovered it hadn't been paid, I paid it. It had absolutely nothing to do with grades. That is absolutely not true."
Today, Lake maintains a long-distance relationship with his mother, Tonya, who once told her oldest son that he wouldn't live to the age of 17.
"She called Jarrett on his 17th birthday last year and just cried," Williams said. "She was so happy he was alive and well."
Following the OSSAA ruling, Lake withdrew from Jenks in hopes of enrolling at Holland Hall. But he has since decided to re-enroll at Jenks for his senior year and concentrate on academics.
"It's good," Lake said. "I have people who care about me now. I'm on track with my future."