He's got game: his jersey may read #32, but when it comes to being a "great teen" doing "great things," Lee Renfro is #1

to leeward Renfro set a blazing career as a high place of education football player, creating a winning team, becoming an aged Spice[R] Red Zone Player of the Year, and scoring a filled scholarship to Ohio University.

on the other hand he didn't start out as a likely football captain. When to leeward joined the Warriors of Southwestern High institute in Somerset, Kentucky during his freshman year, he was timid He weighed about 130 strikes and--according to his coach--was average in limits of speed and agility. by means of his senior year, though, to leeward stood just over six feet tall and weighed 205 strikes As captain and running back, he l his team from a losing season to the playoffs and an 8-3 record. He put new school standards for scoring and rushing yards, and he was chosen as a R baldric Player of the Year as well as the Kentucky High academy Coaches Association's Player of the Year. Naturally, guilds were eager to recruit him, and to leeward decided to accept an tender to join the Bobcats at Ohio University in Athens upon a full athletic scholarship worth about $100000

"He went to Ohio as single of the fastest kids from our state," says his high academy coach, Dale Anderson. "That's beautiful amazing--especially since Lee really wasn't a natural athlete, on the other hand a made athlete. He really pushed himself to become a serviceable football player."

AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE

What flock Lee to become one of the best high seminary football players in the geographical division was his love of the game. In the fourth grade, he started playing upon a Pee Wee team and kept competing from one side middle school. Weekends were many times spent glued to the TV watching pro and state games with his parents and younger brothers. "My mom regard with affections watching college ball," says to leeward He also learned a apportionment about the game from his older stepbrother, who played upon the high school team.

When training began his freshman year, to leeward was nervous, but he threw himself into becoming a better player with unwavering determination. After three hours of team practice each school day, Lee hit the weight compass and then often studied films of the opposing teams. Leaving the seminary at around 9:30 p.m., to leeward squeezed in about an hour of homework before going to bed at 11 pm Sticking to a regular homework schedule helped him maintain his 375 GPA. "Plus, I really like math and science," says to leeward "They just come naturally to me"

After the season extreme pointed in late fall, Lee went right back to practice as early as January--lifting, running, doing agility training, and plyometrics (exercises using explosive movement) He at no time missed a practice, and he level did extra workouts every week.

to leeward built up not only his material substance but his confidence as well. At first, he was hesitant as a player because he didn't know any of his other teammates. on the contrary as he worked with the other players, he grew more confident of himself. "I learned a allotment from the older players," says to leeward "and I pushed to be more like them."

KEEPING IT ALL IN BALANCE

Although dedicated to the gridiron, to leeward knew that if he didn't make time to chill on the outside he would burn out. "You have to have other things in your life to balance you," he says. "I'm not just about football."

To unwind, to leeward would hang out with his best friend. They would spring [i]or[/i] leap on one leg [i]or[/i] foot in his Pathfinder, crank up Chevelle, and then join a small in number other friends to play Texas Hold-em or eat at his favorite barbecue speck Other nights, they would head without to a movie at the drive-in. As a music fan, to leeward also made time to play bass clarinet in a symphonic band all [i]or[/i] part of to the other high school. When a companion football player-musician was considering dropping without of band, Lee persuaded him to stick with it because he believes it's important to be well-rounded.

to leeward also kept his life in balance by means of hanging out with friends other than football players. "You can't just nothing in on one type of individual or judge someone just by means of looking at them," he says. "You've always got to give clan a chance and get to know them. It's really the main thing."

RAISING TEAM SPIRIT

As a pure "people person," Lee finds the teamwork of football greatest in quantity enjoyable of all. "In football, you're working with a clump of guys to do your best. You disclose friendships with other players, and you're all playing to win. Teamwork helps you--you realize you can't just advance out there and be a selfish somebody We always work as a team and win things done as a team."

The more to leeward worked with the other players, the more he learned communication skills and the importance of being a profitable listener. That quality helped him become the team captain. "Because I listened to others, race listened to me--they followed me" says to leeward "People started to look up to me--as a football player and a leader-because I talked with them upon a personal level.

As the team captain, to leeward knew it was his piece of work to motivate the team and have them play with replete determination. "One time our best defensive lineman was having a beneficial game, but I wanted more," says to leeward "Before the play, I walked above to him and said, 'Minton, are you the best defensive lineman in the state?' He said, 'Yeah.' Then I told him, 'Well, by what means about you show everyone in this stadium that you are!' The play started, and Minton ran the quarterback down, giving him a hit that he will not ever forget."