Connecticut Gatorade Players of the Year 20 Years Apart
The Gatorade Player of the Year award was established in 1985. It is given to the top student-athletes in each state for their athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character. Tuesday, I was able to talking to two recipients of the award from Connecticut.
Jermelle Lewis was a four-star recruit out Bloomfield High School and won the award in 1999. He received numerous scholarship offers before he chose to sign with the Iowa. He had tremendous vision and anticipation at the line of scrimmage, always keeping his shoulders square to the line, making excellent jump-cuts with good burst and acceleration. Lewis was very patient behind the line of scrimmage and was able to read what a defense was giving him.
Victor Rosa is a three-star recruit from Bristol Central and won the award in 2021. Rosa has excellent speed and does a great job bouncing runs outside and creating big chunk yardage. He played quarterback in high school, so he understands how to run an offense and how to read what a defense is showing. Rosa runs the option well and is very elusive in the open field doing a great job at making defenders miss.
They both offer different perspectives about being a top recruit from Connecticut and Lewis was able to offer some advice and insight for the soon-to-be running back for the Huskies.
Asked what it was like winning the Gatorade Player of the Year award, Rosa has had the chance to bask a little in the experience.
He said, “I felt blessed for winning the Gatorade Player of the Year award. I was very proud of myself and thankful for everyone who helped me along my journey. It’s an honor to share this prestigious award with all of the other great athletes who have earned it over the years.”
Lewis did not embrace the award until he was already in college. “At the time I didn’t understand how special the award really was,” he said. “My attention was focused on summer track and my first college experience. It wasn’t until I got to the University of Iowa, and had a chance to reflect on high-school accomplishments that I realized, those were absolutely special times.”
Both Lewis and Rosa had dreamed of playing Division I football, so when they were asked if the recruiting process was strange to them, both gave similar answers. They had already prepped themselves for scouts and interviews. Both of these gentlemen agreed that the best part of the recruiting process was the visits to numerous colleges, though Rosa faced a challenge that Lewis never had to endure.
He said, “My least favorite part of the recruiting process was COVID. COVID took my junior year completely away, the most important year for high-school football. I took a different route that year and competed in 7v7 football and prepared for the huge summer that came ahead.”
It’s probably accurate to note that being a recruit from Connecticut instantly put someone in the back seat to the competition from states like Florida, Texas, and California. There are fewer schools in the state, leaving fewer recruits to watch, with lower profile coverage as opposed to the other states.
When asked about that, the response were intriguing.
Rosa said, “Being from Connecticut and a public school, I feel like it has been a disadvantage compared to the athletes down south. Connecticut is slept on. There is a ton of great athletes that come out of this state that can compete and win at the next level.”
Lewis had a completely different outlook on the situation. He quoted a biblical verse when asked about being a Connecticut recruit.
“No,” said. “Proverbs 23:7 states ‘For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” which means you will become what you think about and feel the most. If you believe you are at a disadvantage for whatever reason, you will be.”
That provided a unique perspective.
Lewis had some great advice for Rosa that came from the interview. He helped give Rosa insight on how to prepare for big games: “Get your sleep, eat, and watch film repeatedly.” He even offered some advice on how to cope with the upcoming changes in becoming a freshman student-athlete and even shared an acronym he used: “Get your sleep, go to all of your classes, and focus: (Finish One Class Until Successful).”
This advice will be very helpful for Rosa with the looming schedule of big games against Michigan, North Carolina State, Boston College, Syracuse, Utah State and Fresno State. When asked about facing this level of competition, Rosa was by no means worried.
He said, “The schedule definitely excites me. I can’t wait to compete and make plays on the field with my new brothers. Husky Revolution is happening for real!”
Lewis also gave his advice on which trait he thinks is most important for a running back. “The game has evolved quite a bit even from the time I played,” he said. “You have to be sharp with all of your skill sets whether that be ball-carrying, catching, or blocking. Although, I believe the most important trait to have is patience. This allows you to process what's happening in real time.”
Rosa did have a question for Lewis: “What was the biggest difference/change going from high-school football to college football, both on and off the field?”
Lewis said, “The level of competition of course. There were some nuances and best practices I needed to learn before I could be productive. In turn, this forced me to be intentional with my preparation.”
Rosa is a very smart student with a great head on his shoulders. His abilities on the field are obvious and we will be able to see them soon. He is a terrific addition to the UConn football program and their push to become great. Lewis was humble enough to offer some advice to the youngster, having gone through this entire process before and from the same state. Lewis now helps run a training facility called Prime Performance Athletics, which helps young student-athletes reach their true Division I potential.
You can follow him on Instagram by finding ImCoachLewis. Lewis is somebody who can be a big help to a rising young star such as Rosa.
