Tevin Gray honored to play on Army National combined football team

Putting on his football gear and taking his position on the field are two of Lake Stevens High School Junior Tevin Gray’s favorite things to do.

Gray has been playing football since he was a small child. He started at LSJAA and has continued at Lake Stevens High School playing both defense and offense for the Vikings.

“I keep playing football each year because I love the whole sport, not just the Friday night games. I love my teammates, the practices and the early morning or after school weight lifting…its all fun to me,” Gray said.

Gray was honored as one of the top 500 athletes invited to play in the 2014 U.S Army National Combine in San Antonio, Texas last month where he got to meet other top players and play the sport he loved with students from around the country.

“It was a HUGE honor for Tevin to be invited,” mom Sarah Jennings said. “This could potentially open a lot of doors for him.”

Gray’s love for football follows him as he helps coach younger students as well.

“When Tevin is not on the field or participating in track and field he trains two to four hours a day lifting weights and exercising. He attends multiple camps throughout the year,” Jennings said. “He has accumulated about 100 community service hours so far by coaching local youth.”

Doing well in school and looking forward to a future in football helps keep him focused on his goals.

“I would like to go to any D1 college but it doesn’t really matter where I go as long as I get to play ball for four more years, that would be great! However my first choice would be U.W.,” he said. “I at least see myself playing five to six years of football, one more year in High School and four or five in college. Going pro after college is a very hard thing to do but it’s my dream.”

Gray has earned the honor of being voted second team All WESCO as a wide receiver and had an honorable mention for defense last season. He has also been named next season’s 2014 Team Captain. 

“I’ve learned a lot by playing football at LSHS,” Gray said. “Most importantly I’ve learned that hard work and perseverance will get you farther than anything in life not just football, than talent alone will. One of our team mottos is, ‘Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.'”

Gray also holds the Cavelero Mid High School record for discus and is the LSHS freshman record holder for both discus and javelin and a champion in shot put and javelin in 2012. He was also a WESCO conference champion in javelin in 2012.

In 2011 he was also the first freshman to letter in football since 1997.