WILLOWRIDGE SENIOR RUNNING BACK JAVIN CHATMAN’S FOOTBALL CAREER WAS REVIVED UNDER FIRST-YEAR COACH RAMON CHINYOUNG LAST SEASON.
Prior to Chinyoung's arrival, Chatman hardly played. As a result, he got down on himself. His passion for the game waned.
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But once Chinyoung got on board, Chatman was awarded a shot at redemption.
"Our student-athletes need to be motivated and encouraged," Chinyoung said. "They need to be loved. That trickles over to Chat. He wasn't as receptive to the love through our words, but more our actions. And that carried over to the football field.
"From his work ethic and his visibility and commitment, we found a way to get him on the field."
Chatman hasn't looked back since.
"Coach made me feel like I was good," Chatman said. "Coach puts me out there last year in our first practice, best on best, and I just went crazy. That's when it clicked.
"Coach taught me how to be a leader. He taught me how to believe."
Chatman rewarded his coach's faith, rushing for 423 yards and three touchdowns as the No. 2 back for the 7-3 Eagles. This season, Chatman has compiled 410 rushing yards and four touchdowns through five games, averaging 6.21 yards per carry.
"The awesome thing about him is his cool, calm and collected composure," Chinyoung said. "There's no moment too high or too low for him. He attacks every play the same way. Because of that, it allows him to stay focused and stay engaged and not be flustered when we go through some type of adversity."
Chatman put in a lot of time and work in the weight room and on the field ruing the summer to prepare for a bigger role. He got faster. He know runs a 4.6 4-yard dash, shaving two-tenths of a second off his time.
"Everything I do, my team is going to do," Chatman Said. "So, I make sure everything I do is the right way. I know they'll follow me. My coaches inspire me. Now I want to go to Southern (University). Both my head coach and OC (Javid Milton) went to Southern, and because of them that's what I want. I look up to them."
This story appeared in the Inaugural VYPE Fort Bend ISD Fall Edition, which is now available to pick up at your local Fort Bend ISD High Schools.
