Russell Woods
Simeon High School, Basketball BY KRISTEN BROWN, FRESHMAN, COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO
Dreams of success and making it out of the hood are common among youth in Chicago’s inner city, and Russell Woods is no different. Woods is an 18-year-old senior at Simeon Career Academy on the city’s South Side with a bright future in basketball. Woods has been playing basketball since he was in grammar school and admits he was not always the best because he lacked the general knowledge of the game. When he first tried out for the team, he made it because of his height, not his skill, but with time and patience he eventually got better. The 6-foot-8 Woods is now the Wolverines’ starting power forward and center, averaging about 10 points a game with a 30 ft. vertical. Woods is a Chicago native who says basketball has kept him out of a lot of trouble. “I’m a hot head,” he says, “but I learned to take my aggression out on the court. I owe that to my teammates. But I’m also proud of myself. It’s so many things I could be doing if I didn’t have basketball.” Woods says he will probably start off at junior college after graduating. “I wanted to be the class clown and always acted a fool in class,” he says. “That affected my grades early so I’m paying for it now. But I’m okay with that.” He says he wants to set an example for his younger siblings and just wants to be successful. Woods says he brings mental toughness and great rebounding to his team. “I just do the little things,” he says. “When we lose, I know it’s because we didn’t try our best. If we tried our best and lost, I can accept that. If we just give up and we lose, I can’t accept that.” Woods says if he doesn’t make it in basketball, he would either like to major in engineering or culinary arts and hopes to one day own his own restaurant. Although Woods admittedly doesn’t have the best grades, he still has dreams of being successful. He knows that success is granted through his education and he plans on using basketball to do so. 16 TRUE STAR MAGAZINE
James Andre Davison Morgan Park, Baseball
BY TAHJA M. SHABAZZ, SOPHOMORE, MORGAN PARK HIGH SCHOOL
Morgan Park Mustang James Andre Davison is a very talented young man.
The 17-year-old is a committed baseball player who has wanted a career in the major leagues since his childhood. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, Davison was encouraged by his father to play baseball. His grandfather, dad and uncle all played the sport, but no one in his family played professionally. Davison could be the first. He has been recruited by a variety of universities, both in-state and elsewhere. Outside of the Morgan Park Mustangs, Davison plays for the Chicago White Sox Ace. On every team he has played for, he sticks to his favorite position: center field. Baseball is a sport Davison says he can’t live without, especially since it’s something that has been passed down in his family. “I play baseball because it is one of my natural talents and it runs in my family,” he says. “Nothing can compare to the way I feel when I step on that field.” Putting in four to five hours of practice each day is what keeps Davison on the path to making all the right decisions. Being motivated and committed has a lot to do with how much he cares for his family. “My main focus is going to college for free and getting my family out of here,” he says. “I hate to see them work so hard and see them suffer from this crazy city. I just want them to be safe and not be so stressed out.” Before each of his games, Davison says a prayer and kisses his lucky charm – a 50 cent coin that he keeps tucked in his bible. It was a gift from his grandmother. After each of Davison’s games he makes sure that he goes back and talks to his coaches and his father about the things he should have done better. Following that constructive criticism is what has made Davison such a hot commodity to colleges and universities, and he’s only in his junior year. In the future, Davison says he wants to continue his education and become a professional player, but if things don’t go the way he hopes, he does have a “plan B.” “I just want to go to college, graduate and hope to get drafted,” he says. “If not, I’ll become a doctor or work in the sports medicine field.”