I wouldn’t say that I’m like everyone else because to some degree, I’ve always felt like things are different for me ever since I was at a very young age.
Do you know when people tell you hard work pays off?
Usually that’s the case, but for me, I’ve lived my entire life seemingly working twice as hard for everything that I wanted.
Whether it's academics or football, it’s always been a hustle.
My name is Claumy Jean-Francois. I was born on September 14, 2000, and I play wide receiver at Mercer University.
Humble beginnings
I picked up my first football when I was five years old.
I thank my mom every day for introducing me to the sport.
In our house, you either picked up a trade or a sport — and I was the athletic one in the family.
My passion started when I witnessed people cheering me on at my first peewee game, pushing me to a new limit.
That one game sparked my passion which has continued to grow and is the reason why I still play today.
The question that everyone asks is, “What is your why?”
People would ask: “Why not basketball or baseball, why just football?”
Football to me is my way of life. I go to the field and it's like whatever baggage I carry with me, I can just let it all go.
Playing football allows me to free my mind, my body, my spirit and my soul.
I don’t just enjoy the competitive part of the game either — I also love the grind of getting better each and every day.
The journey
In life, you're often at point A and want to get to point B. But no one tells you how to get there.
Figuring that out on your own is part of that journey.
And that journey looks different for everyone.
Mine started when I was in elementary school – that was my point A, I guess.
But I stopped playing during middle school.
So, when I picked up a football again at Miramar High during high school, it felt like I was starting all over again.
A lot of the kids were far ahead of me, and I had to work twice as hard to get a little bit of what they are experiencing.
I was basically playing catch-up.
I worked hard to be the best player I am today.
It was like I had to prove myself in every situation I was in.
My senior year is when I saw the biggest change.
My effort was finally starting to pay off.
To maximize growth, I transferred to a small private school in Miami called Immaculata LaSalle.
And that's where things really started to take off.
The grind, my passion — it all grew so far that I could see myself playing professionally one day.
I knew that if I worked hard, and fully committed, that I would reach my full potential.
That’s where the “keep moving forward” mentality became a thing for me.
I told myself to never give up no matter the situation and to always keep on pushing.
Watch me!
After graduating high school, I was excited to start my career as a collegiate athlete.
I kicked things off at St. Thomas University before transferring to FIU as a corner.
I played for two years there and also had to go through a coaching change, which is tough. Sometimes, that feels like you have to start all over again, you know?
But fortunately, adjusting to a different environment wasn’t anything new to me.
And so I persevered.
Now, I’m at Mercer University, playing as a wide receiver — I moved to Macon for my senior year.
Today, I can proudly say that I’m more confident than I’ve ever been before.
I know this is my year to shine, and I’m going to show what I can do.
Not a lot of people have heard of me, but they will know my name very soon.
So, to answer the question from earlier, “what is my why?”
My why is to say little CJ never gave up — no matter how hard it was.
He put God first and trusted His plan.
There was no room for giving up, and whatever the circumstance, always remember — keep moving forward.
Go Bears!
