Dwayne

What do they love most about playing their sport(s)?

What DJ loves most is the moment right before he takes off, when everything gets quiet and it is just him, his training, and the runway ahead. He loves that jumping rewards him for the work nobody sees, the early mornings and the years of practice since he was six. He also loves competing alongside his teammates, cheering them on and pushing them to get better, because for him the sport has always been about growing together, not just measuring how far he can go.

Who inspires them—on or off the field—and why?

DJ's biggest inspiration is his grandfather, who passed away in 2019. He carries his memory onto the runway every time he competes, using it as fuel on the days training gets hard. His grandfather believed in him early, and DJ has held onto that belief ever since, treating every jump as a way of making him proud. Off the field, that same memory shapes how DJ treats people, with patience and humility, because those were qualities his grandfather lived by and passed down to him.

What’s one moment in their athletic journey that makes you proudest?

The moment I am proudest of was watching DJ take the runway at the State Championships and land the jump that made him runner up in the triple jump. Knowing he taught himself this sport from the ground up, and seeing all those early mornings turn into that moment on the biggest stage, brought tears to my eyes. It was not just about the mark on the board. It was watching my son prove to himself what years of quiet, unseen work can produce.