Post by jag11 on Sept 23, 2008 18:16:10 GMT -5
Thirty minutes before last Friday night's game with San Luis Obispo, Oxnard High senior linebacker Bryant Jones already had his game face on.
Most of the time, Jones is a good-natured, hard-working student-athlete, but when the lights turn on each Friday night, Jones takes on a different persona.
"On the field, I don't have to be a good guy, I can be reckless," Jones said. "I let my emotions lead me when I'm on the field. ... I can get all fired up and just be crazy."
Jones learned early in his life about how fun it can be to get lost in a character.
From 1995 to 2002, the 17-year-old Jones played Nate Hastings on the soap opera "The Young and the Restless," earning three daytime Emmy nominations for his work in the process.
When his character was written out of the show, Jones wanted to be a "regular kid," turning his attention back to his first love — athletics.
In the last three years, Jones has channeled that energy into football as a three-year starter for the Yellowjackets.
"He's been our heart and soul since his sophomore year," Oxnard coach Mark Beckham said. "His first year on varsity, he jumped right in and became the emotional leader of our team.
"He loves to play the game and he plays it the way it's supposed to be played. He is smart and understands the game. It's like having another coach on the field."
Last spring, college recruiters were visiting Oxnard and Beckham steered a coach from the University of Oregon in Jones' direction.
Because he is just 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds, the Oregon coach was a reluctant to take a serious look at him.
But he eventually watched Jones put the other linebackers through their paces, making sure everyone was dong what they were supposed to be doing and demonstrating an understanding for the game that few players, even at the college level, possess.
Beckham wasn't surprised when the Oregon coach called him about Jones the next day.
"He said, Coach, he really intrigues me because he was doing things that you can't coach,' " Beckham said. "He told me how Bryant was making everyone around him better. He was coaching guys up, and he said he was doing things they can't get the guys at their level to do.
"In all the years I have been coaching, there are only a few players who play with reckless abandon and Bryant is one of them."
Jones' intensity and passion aren't lost on his teammates. Before every game, the Yellowjackets players get together for a pregame chant. For the last three years, Jones has led them in the cheer.
At last year's football banquet, the seniors gathered on the stage for one last chant. But they wouldn't do it unless Jones came up and led them through it.
Safety Dillon Romero has been teammates with Jones since their days with the Warriors Pop Warner team.
Romero, who is also a three-year varsity starter, said there's little doubt who leads this team.
"He is our spiritual leader," Romero said. "He gets us pumped up and ready for the game. His motor is always running and we feed off of that.
"We try to keep up with him. He doesn't let us slack off and if you do, he is on you. He cares about us and everyone respects him."
Jones credits his mother, Karen, for instilling him with the traits needed to be a leader.
Jones' father, Deon, died from leukemia when he was 7, leaving his mother to raise him and his twin sister Bethany and younger sister Kayla.
"My mom is my role model," Jones said. "She is a take-charge person. I learned from her to be confident in what you are doing."
It was his mom that got him started in show business. When he was 2, Jones won the "Little Mr. Oxnard" pageant. Shortly after, he was signed by a talent agency.
After doing commercial work for a while, Jones auditioned for the role on "The Young and the Restless." Over the next eight years, he and his mother traveled back and forth between Oxnard and Los Angeles.
Jones proved to be a natural, with Emmy nominations in three straight years.
During his tenure on the soap opera, he worked with "Desperate Housewife" star Eva Longoria and also had the chance to meet celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Whoopie Goldberg.
He also had the chance to be part of a kids version of the game show "Hollywood Squares."
Jones said he enjoyed his time in front of the camera and the benefits that came with it.
"It was fun having people ask for my autograph and know me when I went places," Jones said. "I liked the people I worked with. The only downside was I was into sports even then and I missed some stuff because I was there."
After his character was written out of the show, he decided to take a break from acting. Jones said if the opportunity arises again, he will consider getting back into the business.
For now, he's focused football and school. He's as good a student as he is a player, posting a 4.2 grade-point average last semester.
His strong combination of academic and athletic talent has drawn interest from some of the Ivy League schools.
While he would love to play in a big-time football environment like at Oregon, Jones also admits there is plenty to like about the Ivy League.
"If you go to a school like Yale or Princeton, it's great academics and people who also love to play football," Jones said. "I will play anywhere someone wants me. I just want to play at the next level."
But for now, all focus is on winning games at Oxnard.
He and his teammates are determined to make this a year to remember. Jones said their goal is to play 14 games, meaning they reach the CIF finals.
"I can see this year everyone shares that same goal," Jones said. "It's fun because we all pull for each other. We are really a family."
Most of the time, Jones is a good-natured, hard-working student-athlete, but when the lights turn on each Friday night, Jones takes on a different persona.
"On the field, I don't have to be a good guy, I can be reckless," Jones said. "I let my emotions lead me when I'm on the field. ... I can get all fired up and just be crazy."
Jones learned early in his life about how fun it can be to get lost in a character.
From 1995 to 2002, the 17-year-old Jones played Nate Hastings on the soap opera "The Young and the Restless," earning three daytime Emmy nominations for his work in the process.
When his character was written out of the show, Jones wanted to be a "regular kid," turning his attention back to his first love — athletics.
In the last three years, Jones has channeled that energy into football as a three-year starter for the Yellowjackets.
"He's been our heart and soul since his sophomore year," Oxnard coach Mark Beckham said. "His first year on varsity, he jumped right in and became the emotional leader of our team.
"He loves to play the game and he plays it the way it's supposed to be played. He is smart and understands the game. It's like having another coach on the field."
Last spring, college recruiters were visiting Oxnard and Beckham steered a coach from the University of Oregon in Jones' direction.
Because he is just 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds, the Oregon coach was a reluctant to take a serious look at him.
But he eventually watched Jones put the other linebackers through their paces, making sure everyone was dong what they were supposed to be doing and demonstrating an understanding for the game that few players, even at the college level, possess.
Beckham wasn't surprised when the Oregon coach called him about Jones the next day.
"He said, Coach, he really intrigues me because he was doing things that you can't coach,' " Beckham said. "He told me how Bryant was making everyone around him better. He was coaching guys up, and he said he was doing things they can't get the guys at their level to do.
"In all the years I have been coaching, there are only a few players who play with reckless abandon and Bryant is one of them."
Jones' intensity and passion aren't lost on his teammates. Before every game, the Yellowjackets players get together for a pregame chant. For the last three years, Jones has led them in the cheer.
At last year's football banquet, the seniors gathered on the stage for one last chant. But they wouldn't do it unless Jones came up and led them through it.
Safety Dillon Romero has been teammates with Jones since their days with the Warriors Pop Warner team.
Romero, who is also a three-year varsity starter, said there's little doubt who leads this team.
"He is our spiritual leader," Romero said. "He gets us pumped up and ready for the game. His motor is always running and we feed off of that.
"We try to keep up with him. He doesn't let us slack off and if you do, he is on you. He cares about us and everyone respects him."
Jones credits his mother, Karen, for instilling him with the traits needed to be a leader.
Jones' father, Deon, died from leukemia when he was 7, leaving his mother to raise him and his twin sister Bethany and younger sister Kayla.
"My mom is my role model," Jones said. "She is a take-charge person. I learned from her to be confident in what you are doing."
It was his mom that got him started in show business. When he was 2, Jones won the "Little Mr. Oxnard" pageant. Shortly after, he was signed by a talent agency.
After doing commercial work for a while, Jones auditioned for the role on "The Young and the Restless." Over the next eight years, he and his mother traveled back and forth between Oxnard and Los Angeles.
Jones proved to be a natural, with Emmy nominations in three straight years.
During his tenure on the soap opera, he worked with "Desperate Housewife" star Eva Longoria and also had the chance to meet celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Whoopie Goldberg.
He also had the chance to be part of a kids version of the game show "Hollywood Squares."
Jones said he enjoyed his time in front of the camera and the benefits that came with it.
"It was fun having people ask for my autograph and know me when I went places," Jones said. "I liked the people I worked with. The only downside was I was into sports even then and I missed some stuff because I was there."
After his character was written out of the show, he decided to take a break from acting. Jones said if the opportunity arises again, he will consider getting back into the business.
For now, he's focused football and school. He's as good a student as he is a player, posting a 4.2 grade-point average last semester.
His strong combination of academic and athletic talent has drawn interest from some of the Ivy League schools.
While he would love to play in a big-time football environment like at Oregon, Jones also admits there is plenty to like about the Ivy League.
"If you go to a school like Yale or Princeton, it's great academics and people who also love to play football," Jones said. "I will play anywhere someone wants me. I just want to play at the next level."
But for now, all focus is on winning games at Oxnard.
He and his teammates are determined to make this a year to remember. Jones said their goal is to play 14 games, meaning they reach the CIF finals.
"I can see this year everyone shares that same goal," Jones said. "It's fun because we all pull for each other. We are really a family."