BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Starke’s Gino Addison signed a letter of intent to play football at North Carolina Central University during a ceremony on Early Signing Day (Dec. 3) at Middleburg High School, where he played his senior season, and then participated in a ceremony at Starke’s Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church on Dec. 7.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Addison said. It’s amazing knowing that all of your hard work paid off. You finally made it. You made it one step closer to the goal.”
The 5-11, 195-pound running back is coming off a season in which he rushed for 1,1103 yards and 18 touchdowns on 156 carries. As a junior at Bradford High School, he had 800-plus yards and 10 touchdowns on approximately 120 carries.
Addison, who averaged 7 yards per carry in each of the last two seasons, said, “I think I’m a great improviser. I’ve got great vision and great balance.”
As he prepares to transition to playing at the collegiate level, he said, “One thing I’m looking at improving is my speed.”
Middleburg Head Coach Ryan Wolfe, who attended the ceremony at the Starke church, said he owed thanks to those who played a part in making Addison into the player and person he is today.
“I only got to coach him for one year, but whoever had him for the first 16, 17 years of his life did a great job. I haven’t coached that many people who are that driven,” Wolfe said, adding, “I haven’t come across that many athletes who are as driven as him. If I had a bunch of Ginos, we’d probably still be playing. He is everything that a coach wants, everything that a parent wants and everything that a teacher wants.”
The coach’s sentiments echoed those of Rodney Mosley Sr., who knows Addison well from coaching in the Bradford County Cowboys youth football organization.
“I never really had to push him,” Mosley said. “He’s always been kind of self-motivated.”
Addison wasn’t seriously considering any other colleges, saying he loves the atmosphere and culture at North Carolina Central. In other words, the Durham school will feel like home.
Well, it won’t feel like home in one way. This past Monday, for example, the high and low temperatures in Durham were 40 and 22 degrees, with snow showers at night.
“Weather is one of the biggest things,” Addison said when asked what he’ll have to adjust to.
Addison is ready to face the weather and any other challenges he’ll face because he has a family and community behind.
More importantly, he has a reliance upon God.
“I wouldn’t be here without Him,” Addison said. “It’s as simple as that.”
God was mentioned by almost everyone who spoke at the Dec. 7 ceremony.
Addison’s brother Iyen, a standout running back himself at Bradford High School, where he’s a junior, said God had a purpose for his brother’s life — a purpose that Gino stuck to. Iyen said at each level of football, coaches tried to get Gino to play another position, such as linebacker or tight end.
“They tried to take him off of what God had given him,” Iyen said. “He was on His path. They said, ‘Gino, you can’t do that. Gino, you can’t do this. You’re too big to do this and that.’ They doubted him, but God is a miracle worker.”
Gino Addison’s mother, Latasha Addison, encouraged her son to continue to put his faith in God during the next phase of his life’s journey, saying, “Remember to put God first, and He will do the rest.”
Grandmother Valara Petteway talked of how God has used Addison to show others that with God, anything is possible. With an eye toward the young people in attendance, Petteway said, “Let this be a lesson to you — that you can do anything. As Iyen said, God has a place for (Gino). Nobody can put him in a different position.”
Mosley told Addison, “Keep pushing. God’s got you in this position for a reason. Keep Him first. There’s nothing but success with Him.”
Addison said putting God first and believing in himself got him to this moment, but he still finds it kind of hard to believe that he is getting the chance to play at the next level.
“It truly hasn’t sunk in yet,” Addison said. “It’s a feeling like no other. I don’t know how to describe it.”
