Woodrow Wilson High School

Camden Football Star Transcends Numbers

By Marc Narducci
Inquirer Columnist
2-7-10

By Marc Narducci
Inquirer Columnist

The magnitude of the situation finally hit Gregory Reese when he decided on his future destination last week.
A tight end from Woodrow Wilson, Reese accepted a football scholarship to Hampton University.

"As soon as I committed, the thought crossed my mind that I will get to go to college for free," Reese said. "This made my family proud."

Actually, many others besides his family should be proud. That's because Reese is a top student who attends the Dr. Charles E. Brimm Medical Arts High School in Camden.

This season, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Reese caught 10 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns in an offense that favored the run. He has the speed of a receiver and the size to grow into a dominant college tight end.

Yet the scouting report on Reese the person supersedes anything he has accomplished on the football field.

"Kids like him are the reason why you do this," Wilson coach Chris Crowley said. "It is just such a great feeling to know that he has earned this scholarship."

Reese understands the impact his situation could have on others.

"I hope to be a role model for my teammates and younger brother and sister," Reese said.

Reese is blunt about growing up in Camden and the temptations to walk on the wrong side of the road.

"If you don't stay focused, you can be sucked into crime," he said.

Crowley says that Reese's best days are ahead of him as a football player. As a person, well, it would be hard to top the positive impression he has made on others.

One of the schools that Reese made an official visit to was the University of Wisconsin. The Badgers didn't offer him a scholarship because they recruited another tight end (who happened to be Camden Catholic's Sherard Cadogan).

"The coaches at Wisconsin were so impressed with him, but they were caught up in numbers," Crowley said. "When they couldn't offer him, a few of their coaches called around the country to help get the word out about him."

Imagine, with all the hours these college coaches work during recruiting season, that they would take the time to help somebody who wasn't going to attend their school.

"That doesn't happen a lot, and it shows how impressed they were by Greg," Crowley said.

What makes the story even more remarkable is that Reese wasn't an overnight sensation in the classroom. By his own admission, he didn't apply himself for much of his freshman and sophomore years.

"I was young, and I really didn't care," Reese said. "I had an immature mind, and the only thing I worried about was playing football."

Then some time during his sophomore year, it began to click for Reese when he saw one of his friends was on the honor roll. Reese was happy for the person, but deep down he felt he was smarter, yet was lagging behind.

"I was holding myself back and knew I could get better grades," he said. "If I could talk to kids I would tell them how important your grades are your freshman and sophomore year, especially if you want to earn an athletic scholarship."

His scholarship is an affirmation for all of Reese's hard work.

It came about because Reese was able to successfully reverse fields, improving his grades, self image, and now lot in life.



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Contact staff writer Marc Narducci at 856-779-3225 or mnarducci@phillynews.com.

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