teammatesinlife

Forum role	Member since	Last activity	Topics created	Replies created
Member	Dec 22, 2010 (14 years)	-	1	4

Forum role: Member
Member since: Dec 22, 2010 (14 years)
Last activity: -
Topics created: 1
Replies created: 4

Bio

I am 47 years old, have been married for 20 years and my wife and I are the proud parents of a wonderful 7-year old daughter. I was born in Grant, Michigan in 1967. My biological dad was a black man from California and my mom was a white women from the Netherlands attending college in the US. I guess that makes my personal DNA ingredients Caucasian, African-American and Dutch (check out my 9th grade basketball picture in my photo gallery...I proudly wore my family name on the back of my jersey & my heritage on the front). Both my biological parents were students at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan. Due to the racial issues of the 1960s, especially those associated with mixed couples, they handed me over to the state immediately after I was born. The courts were concerned about placing a bi-racial kid with any family....black or white. Fortunately, a first generation Dutch Caucasian immigrant couple wanted a fourth child and wanted that child via adoption. Even more fortunately, child services felt our mutual "Dutch heritage" would be the best chance for me to be adopted...if not my only chance. After only nine months in the state system (thank goodness), I became the only adopted child of Humphrey and Jackie DeVries. In addition to instant parents, I immediately had two older sisters and one older brother...all biological to Mr. and Mrs. DeVries. I definitely stood out from the others in my new family (see the photo gallery for my family picture and a picture of my 70s style afro)...and my challenges growing up really sucked, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Professionally, I've spent 15+ years as an Assistant Athletic Director at the University of Notre Dame, Western Michigan University (WMU) and the University of Illinois. I also coached football at WMU, taught sports-related classes at Division III Olivet College and continue to coach high school football to this day. I played football at WMU, lettered 4 years and started at outside linebacker for 3 years. I won a Mid-American Conference championship in 1988 earning a bowl bid to play Fresno State University in what was called the California Bowl back then. I was awarded the John Gill Scholar Athlete Award my senior year, earned my Undergraduate Degree in Business Management and 7 years later, earned my Master’s Degree in Athletic Administration. Unfortunately, my collegiate career ended abruptly when I suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon (check out the photo gallery to see the picture of my scar) during the second to last game of my senior year...against those damn Toledo Rockets down in the Glass Bowl. Although it was a long shot, all indications were that I would have at least an NFL free agency opportunity before the injury....but after the injury, no chance in hell! Even a CFL opportunity disappeared because of that surgically repaired Achilles tendon. Oh well, many dream about it...few achieve it. I played high school football, basketball, baseball and ran track and field at Holland High School in Holland, Michigan. I earned 11 Division I scholarship offers to play college football and 2 offers to play Division II basketball. Football was definitely my best sport and WMU was definitely the best fit for me...not to mention they were one of the few schools that offered me the opportunity to play running back even though that changed during my first year on campus. Playing at WMU for Head Coach Jack Harbaugh (father of Jim & John Harbaugh - John was also a Graduate Assistant at WMU during my playing days) and Assistant Coaches like Greg Mattison (Michigan's Defensive Coordinator & my recruiting coach), Brady Hoke (Michigan's Head Coach), Dan Ferrigno (Michigan's Tight End Coach), Jerry Rosburg (Baltimore Raven's Special Teams Coach), Jeff Hurd (Minnesota Vikings Strength Coach), Jeff Fish (Former Strength Coach of the Atlanta Falcons) and many other great coaches was an outstanding athletic and life experience and truly an honor. And playing next to high-profile teammates like John Offerdahl (Miami Dolphins & 5-time All Pro), Joel Smeenge (11-year NFL veteran), Kevin Haverdink (5-year NFL veteran), Terry Crews (6-year NFL veteran and now Hollywood Movie Star), Paul Hutchins (NFL veteran), Tony Kimbrough (CFL veteran), Bruce & Allan Boyko both (CFL veterans) and many more fantastic guys was definitely a privilege as well. So, it's been a pretty darn good life to this point...and I'm planning for many more great years. Thank you for your interest in Say It All Sports. I hope you will become an active participant and recruit others to enjoy the experience and help grow our team. Sincerely, Paul DeVries