By Tara Crawford
Vince Lombardi once commented, “Football is like life. It requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.” This profound statement has significantly enlightened both aspiring and professional athletes.
A case in point is the rather promising Alabama A&M quarterback Jaymason Lee, who embodies and upholds Lombardi’s standards. A peering into the former’s athletic efforts reveals an unwavering sense of commitment to football. Additionally, Lee has a supportive family that continues to instill the importance of diligence and humility. Along with that, he is a native of the very competitive island state of Hawaii.
The impact of family, coupled with the competitive nature of his home state, offers a sure foundation for an impressive collegiate football career. Following a game with SWAC rival University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, Lee explained how he embraces leadership: “I like to lead by example, and I had promised the seniors that I would bring them to a win.”
Lee threw for a career high of 349 yards, and he scored three touchdowns. This was quite a feat for an athlete once underestimated and often presumed to be an underachieving, out-of-state quarterback. Yet another example of Lee’s athleticism and moral character was demonstrated in a regular season game against another SWAC rival, Alcorn State University of Lorman, Miss. Initially, Alcorn State was leading by a score of 15-0. As the end of the game rapidly approached, the chance for a win appeared impossible. However, a relentless Lee was determined to ensure that his team would win. Once again, he threw three touchdowns to bring about a miraculous win.
It also is important to acknowledge that Lee has had triumphs as well as trials throughout his career. For example, during the season’s closing game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, the Alabama A&M Bulldogs suffered a brutal loss. The final score was 66-7 and to a competitor like Lee this was the definition of the common idiom, “You win some, you lose some; but you live to fight another day.” Despite the fact that the Bulldogs lost the game and Lee was only able to complete one touchdown, they were still very successful. According to a press interview, Lee stated, “We went out there. We played a really good team, and we gave it our all.”
All in all, both Lee’s prosperous and unfavorable experiences have together helped him to develop into a fine football player who is expected to do exceptionally well in the 2014 MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney.
Tara Crawford is a Sophomore and a Communications Major at Alabama A& M University from Sacramento, Calif.
