Absolutely. Had he coached before? Woody
On May 18, 2009, at 7:06 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > Excellent story and I wish him all the best. Thanks for sharing > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: [gatornews] [TheLedger] Ex-UF Star a 'Role Model' at Alma > Mater > From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > Date: Sun, May 17, 2009 11:11 pm > To: [email protected] > > monday profile | JEMALLE CORNELIUS > > Ex-UF Star a 'Role Model' at Alma Mater > > > By Rick Brown > THE LEDGER > > Published: Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 7:42 p.m. > Last Modified: Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 7:42 p.m. > FORT MEADE | Jemalle Cornelius has accomplished a lot in his young > life and the 24-year-old doesn't have many regrets. The new head > football coach at his alma mater, Fort Meade High School, Cornelius > is married and a father of two, he has a college degree and a > national championship to boot. > But there is one thing the 5-foot, 11-inch former receiver for the > Florida Gators wishes he could change. > "I wish I was 6-foot-2," he said. "My goal in life was to play on an > NFL team, and that didn't happen for me." > Now, Cornelius has a new journey. His mission is to not only help > his football team win a state championship, but also to provide > guidance to manhood for the boys of Fort Meade. > "My goal now is to become a good coach that produces a lot of guys > that go on to college and get degrees," Cornelius said. "My goal is > to also win the state championship, but I want my players to use > football as a vehicle to set themselves up to be able to provide for > themselves and their family. > "Coming up, a lot of guys in the community had potential that didn't > really get maxed out," he said. "I love the city. I want to do my > part in the community to help the young men so they can grow up and > be productive and then come back and pass it on to the community." > It is Cornelius' own version of the movie "Pay It Forward," in which > someone does a good deed for another person and instead of giving > back, that person does a good deed for someone else. > "He's a role model," said Fort Meade athletic director Archie Gale. > "Even though he's a young kid, he came across as a well-organized > person. What helps us more is than anything having him here is the > community knows him. He's a good, organized, moral person. > "He's already done wonders since he's been here," Gale said. "He's > gotten the kids up at 5:30 in the morning to work out. That says a > lot. He's motivating kids that would never do that." > becoming a leader > Jemalle De'Sean Cornelius was born Aug. 10, 1984, in Bartow, the > first child of Clinton and Frenchie Cornelius. > Becoming a leader was a natural progression. > His father is a long-time pastor in Fort Meade, and Christian values > became a staple in his life. > "My dad was a real strict parent," he said. "There was a lot of > structure in the home. Whatever Dad said, that was it. When you're a > kid, you want to do what you want, when you want to do it. I didn't > have that choice. > "When I was younger, it was tough," he said. "But as I've gotten > older, I understand. The structure, organization and time-management > skills he taught helped me develop as a man." > Clinton Cornelius knows he was hard on his son, but it was the only > way to ensure his child would not become another footnote in the > much-publicized, sad chapters of black men who get into trouble with > the law. > "The standards we set for him (were) that he had to fight a little > harder than everyone else," Clinton Cornelius said. "And to be > honest, we taught him there may be race issues he had to deal with, > so he had to be two times better than the next person. We taught him > not to let anyone outwork him, to treat everyone equal (sic) and > with respect and, finally, we taught him that a good name is always > good and would carry him a long way." > Jemalle Cornelius was a top-notch athlete playing receiver as a high > school junior and set a school record with 53 catches for 1,004 > yards and 13 touchdowns. As a senior, he switched to quarterback and > was named Florida's Class 1A Player of the Year, leading Fort Meade > to the state championship game, where they lost to Tallahassee North > Florida Christian. > During his senior year, Cornelius threw for 2,100 yards and 23 > touchdowns, rushed for more than 500 yards and 13 touchdowns, had > seven interceptions as a defensive back and returned four punts for > touchdowns. > Academically, Cornelius was one of the five national finalists for > the 2002 Watkins Award, presented annually to the nation's top black > high school scholar-athlete. > "Jemalle was one of the finest young men I worked with in my career, > easily," said Webber offensive line coach and former Fort Meade High > head coach Mike Hayde. "He's a great young man. His work ethic has > always been second to none." > Prospering Under Urban meyer > When Jemalle Cornelius graduated from Fort Meade, he verbally > committed to the University of Florida, then under coach Steve > Spurrier. But Spurrier left Gainesville for the NFL. New Gators > coach Ron Zook came to see Jemalle Cornelius and he signed with > Florida, redshirting his first year before getting a little playing > time his redshirt freshman season. > After Jemalle Cornelius' third year in Gainesville, Zook was fired > and the Gators hired Urban Meyer. > Meyer helped Jemalle Cornelius take another step toward his future. > "After my dad, Coach Meyer was the most influential in my life," he > said. "Dad did a lot in installing principles and values in me. > Coach Meyer helped me with application of those principles and > values. He taught me not just to have it stored up, but to use it." > Meyer saw something special in Jemalle Cornelius and wanted to get > more out of him. > "The biggest thing I wanted Jemalle to do was to stand up when his > teammates were having behavior issues," Meyer said. "He used to say > he was a Christian and didn't do those things some of his teammates > did. I said, 'Good for you, but how is that helping the team?' > "After that, I saw a complete turnaround," Meyer said. "He wasn't > worried about himself, he made the team a priority." > Cornelius was placed on the team's leadership committee, a bridge > between the players and Meyer. He also served as a representative > for the University of Florida in a townhouse meeting among > collegiate and pro athletes in Washington, D.C., that discussed > topics ranging from recruiting to violence. Cornelius had become the > face of Florida football. > "There is only one jersey hanging in my house," Meyer said. "It's > Jemalle's. I have that much respect for him. He was the glue for our > national championship team. He has impeccable character. He's one of > the most unselfish players to have ever played here." > NFL DISAPPOINTMENT > The Gators won a national championship in Jemalle Cornelius' final > season, one of the highlights of his career. > The same can't be said about his NFL career. > Jemalle Cornelius wasn't drafted but was picked up by the Buffalo > Bills as a free agent. In the final cut before the regular season, > the Bills let him go. Two weeks later, he was picked up by the > Indianapolis Colts and spent nine weeks on the practice squad before > getting cut. He spent the remainder of the season on the Arizona > Cardinals' practice squad before again getting released on the final > cut. > He came back home and started working with the high school football > team. He also coached track this past season. He's now in a place > where he feels he can make a major impact on and off the field. > I felt like I did the best I could do with what I had," he said of > his NFL dream. "The journey is something I'll always have with me. > God placed me here. This is my ministry. This is my way of reaching > people." > He also has a chance to do something he didn't do in high school - > beat North Florida Christian. > "I don't have nightmares about (North Florida Christian) but they're > on my mind a lot," he admitted. "I think to beat them in the state > championship … I think that is everybody's dream scenario." > [ Rick Brown can be reached at [email protected] or 863-802-7569 > . ] > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
