EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville’s Chrys Colley is proof that dedication, determination and hard work pay.
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Colley, a second-team All-Southwestern Conference defensive back, signed a letter of intent to attend Quincy College on Wednesday.
Each Edwardsville coach who has the three-sport athlete have all said Colley is one of the “hardest workers” they have on their roster. Colley is not only a football player, but a starter on the Tigers’ varsity basketball squad and a key member of the track team. The years of dedication to athletics and time in the classroom now earned him a college scholarship.
“It's been a blessing to play for coaches who have really pushed me to be my best, like coach (Matt) Martin (in football), coach (Mike) Waldo (in basketball) and coach (Chad) Lakatos (in track and field),” Colley said recently after an Edwardsville basketball game. “They've taught me so much about life and it's been great to be able to play for them.”
Colley said he simply loves being involved in sports.
“These are the best guys I’ll be around all of my life,” he said of his coaches and the players he has been associated with in the Edwardsville programs.
“I love to compete; life is really competitive,” Colley said. “It's taught me many lessons and has allowed me to grow as a person. It's also great preparation for the real world too; life is very competitive and being in sports has taught me many lessons I'll carry all of my life.”
Quincy just felt like the right fit for him, Colley said. He will come in as a cornerback.
“It was a long process,” he said. “The Quincy coaches sat me down and wanted to know more about me and my goals through football. I sat down with the defensive coordinator and talked to him. Quincy wasn’t too big or too small. I believe it was a good fit for me. Quincy has a really good football program.”
Obtaining a scholarship is something Colley set a goal for and he is so excited he has attained the vision.
“I am really excited when I look how far I have come as a freshman,” he said.
The Edwardsville student thanked Coach Martin for all his help in obtaining the scholarship to Quincy.
Martin said he is excited to see what Colley can do focusing on one sport.
“Chris will get bigger and faster if he can focus on football and get in the weight room,” Martin said. “This is a good gift for Quincy to get him. He is one of our best workers and leaders. Chris isn’t a big vocal guy, but he leads by example by working hard every day.”
Colley said being a leader on his teams is of utmost importance to him.
“You have to be competitive and be a leader for your team,” he said recently in the Tigers’ post-game activities. “I've really enjoyed playing here for Edwardsville. I love being in sports and competing. These are the best guys I've been around all of my life.”Brent Feeney also contributed to this story.
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