Jay Pace never let his size or the fact that he plays football at Victory Christian deter him from realizing his dream to play football in college.
At 5-foot-9 1/2, 160 pounds, Pace knew he physical makeup wasn’t going to wow recruiters looking for a linebacker or a fullback.
Thanks to his father, Bill, Jay was able to compile a video highlight package that he sent out to colleges in an attempt to spark interest.
It didn’t take long for the coaches at Faulkner University, a NAIA school in Montgomery, Ala., to be impressed with what they saw. A call from the Faulkner University football coaches to Jay Pace set the stage for a campus visit that led to Pace deciding he wanted to go to school. On May 4, Pace finalized the decision when he signed a scholarship to play football at the Christian University.
“It is a great school,” Pace said. “We had a couple of possibilities and a few schools we were looking at. We went to Belhaven and they gave us an offer, but I liked Faulkner a little bit more, so that is what I went with.”
Pace hopes to become a helicopter pilot in the military or a chemical engineer. He said he wasn’t surprised he was able to attract the attention of college coaches because he believes he is willing to play any position to help the team.
He feels he will be able to transition to the secondary early in his career at Faulkner and then move to linebacker if he puts on enough weight.
“College football was something I really was looking forward to,” Pace said. “I am glad I got some offers and that some people were willing to let me play football.”
Victory Christian coach Chris Hamm coached Pace for the past three years on the school’s varsity football team. Pace played linebacker and fullback and spent time on the special teams, primarily on the kickoff team, this past season. Even though this season was Pace’s first seeing extensive playing time, Hamm said Pace showed the dedication, work ethic, and leadership abilities any coach would love to have. One year after sending Landon Ellis (football) and Tyler Jones (baseball) to play at East Mississippi Community College, Hamm said Pace dispels the notion that individuals who play eight-man football or who go to small schools can’t realize their dreams to continue their athletic careers in college.
“We have told them it all starts with their desire,” Hamm said. “In this story, his parents pushed the right buttons and made contacts.”
Hamm credited Bill Pace for helping get information out about Jay and other players at Victory Christian. He said that work helped coaches at Faulkner see Jay is a player who is committed, dedicated, and who loves the game of football.
“He didn’t get to play a lot because of the big senior class we had in 2010, but he never complained and never had an attitude problem because of a lack of playing time. When he got his chance this year, he played real well. I wish we had him a little longer and would have been able to work with him a little more.”
Pace feels he will fit well in a Christian atmosphere and at the NAIA level. Hamm agrees because Pace has earned scholarships for his athletic prowess and his community service work. Pace is a volunteer fireman in Lowndes County.
“He likes contact and he likes to hit,” Hamm said. “He is very dependable. … He was the kind of player you love from the aspect of toughness in practice and in games. He was undersized for the position of linebacker, but his toughness and his willingness to get after it is something that he will definitely be remembered for.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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