My name Christopher Jeffrey and i was born in Washington DC. I was fortunate to be brought up through the game of football by my pops who was a college football coach at the time at Howard University. That allowed me to be around the game 24/7.
Being around the players, in meetings like I was one of the , traveling with the team, learning coverages, watching film with the QBs, throwing with them, everything a college would do on the regular basis and all the other finer qualities of which the sport had to offer, allowed me to gather the passion that I have for the game today.
I started playing organized football when I was about 6 years old for a recreation center in my neighborhood. The Rosedale Tigers, that’s where it all started. Initially I started off playing Db but very quickly realized defense wasn’t for me. Not that I didn’t want to tackle or I was soft or anything, let’s make sure we get that straight, but because I just felt like I needed the ball in my hands and I always loved throwing the ball and playing catch, so playing defense didn’t last too long for me. Before you know it, I was leading my team to our first championship doing what everyone said we couldn’t do which was throw and win with a QB as small as me. This allowed me to keep the same motto that I still live with til this day, HEART OVER HEIGHT!!
“Reality Check”
Further along through my football journey, I began to to experience a lot of highs and lows. From at the age of 16, having to move from house to house and living with friends and family through Jr to Sr years of high school, while still having to hold up a persona because, that was something I kept hidden for a long time to go along with being considered as one of top Qbs in D.C. at the time. In 2010 I was ruled ineligible my freshman year of college and not able to accept any scholarship offers which caused me to sit out my first four years of college, but I didnt let that break me. So I had to attend community college after community college, with no sports teams which was a hard time for me because I didnt know how to do school without football. I had to figure out what did I really want to do with myself.
I know I wanted to play football to further my chances to play on the next level, which was my only motivation to go to school. Not just to learn and grasp an education, but in the beginning that’s the only reason I was going to school. Other than that, I only went so I could be eligible to play ball, not to graduate and have a great career. But when reality hit and I realized that even though I wanted to play ball, there was way more to the process of becoming a STUDENT-ATHLETE, with the student on top of the athlete because without the student there is NO athlete. I learned that if I applied myself to school as much as I did to my sport, it’s the same thing I do on the flip dealing with real life and getting things done.
“Growing Pains”
In 2014 I was able to find a way to get accepted into a JUCO in California with a football team. In November 2014, I played my first collegiate game. Can you believe it, 4 years out of high school and playing my first game. Most guys in my position, or where I’m from, would’ve gave it up after the first year didn’t work out but I knew there was something bigger on the horizon. But Boy O’Boy, just when you thought everything was getting better, who would’ve knew juco would be how it was. Being in California experiencing some of the lowest points of my life. Being short on rent, to days of not eating and having to hear from my coaches things like, “YOU’RE NOT A QB, IT DOESN’T MATTER YOUR BACKGROUND OR THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE , YOU’RE TOO SMALL , YOU NEED TO PLAY WR”. I was not able to throw a single pass that season, nor was I given the opportunity to do so, but I knew if I was given even a brief chance to prove myself, I was definitely going to do so.
Any chance I got in the game I tried to be productive as possible, because I was just so grateful for just stepping foot into the game. Even though the following seasons where even worse, I still found a way to keep pushing. I was going transfer again to another JUCO for a better opportunity but that didn’t work out, I was left with the short end of the stick again but that just made me more hungry, because I knew what I was capable of. With that every chance I got to showcase my abilities, I was going take advantage no matter what. So with lots of thoughts and support and what to do next, I didn’t know if I was going keep going through all the bullshit after bullshit just to play ball and school. Yea graduation was still on my mind, but beyond anything the only thing I wanted to is play football and those chances of doings so looked very slim for me.
“Future looking Bright”
After months and months of weighing things out with myself, I was on the internet looking opportunities to play ball and I came across Europlayers.com site. I made an account and uploaded the little film that I was able to get and put my faith in GOD. With that, I started getting some feedback from some countries. Some of the offers weren’t the best, but it was a start and at that time I was willing to do whatever was needed to back on the field.
I had aspirations to get to the next level and needed to take a leap of faith. I really didn’t care what anyone had to say about the decision because I know what I wanted for myself, and I’d be dam with the blessing of GOD and hard work, I was able to negotiate and sign a contract to play professionally in Europe for Novi Sad GAT Dukes (Serbia) where I was the OC/QB along with being awarded MVP of league and leading team to the championship in my rookie season.
This was all I had been wanting and patiently waiting for. Just for that opportunity to compete and showcase my abilities and talents without getting stereotyped or being told what you should do or what somebody else thinks is best for you. I couldn’t be more grateful for the guys in Serbia because, without them giving me that shot I wouldn’t be in the position I am today.
After playing in Serbia I was blessed with the opportunity to play in Finland for Jyvaskla Jaggarit. Such amazing experiences, but it got even better the next season. I would go on to sign with one of the most historic teams in Poland, the Warsaw Eagles where I won my 3rd MVP award in 3 years, along with my 2nd European Championship.
And finally, to the present day where I’m gratefully still able to be in position to continue my career in Europe as I just signed with a new team Rostock Griffins (Germany). I plan to keep going in the same direction I have been going for the last two years. I think I have endured all the bad I can for it’s only UP FROM HERE !!
Through all I learned you have figure out how far are you willing to go beyond, and sacrifice to get what and where you want to go in life no matter what type of path your on or somebody else’s opinion. Because at the end of the day your going to die alone and you have to live your life to the fullest through what you think is best for yourself and not anyone else. Live out your dreams chase them to the fullest. Do what’s best for you and only you, you have to help yourself before you can help someone else .#NOSACRIFICENOVICTORY
Read the original story in The Battered Bastards by Chris Jeffrey here.