‘It means everything,’ Golden Valley football star’s hard work pays off with scholarship

Jahkylle Smith was determined to do everything he could to give himself every opportunity to continue playing football in college.

The Golden Valley High School senior worked hard on the field and in the classroom to make his dream a reality.

That’s why Smith said Thursday afternoon was so special.

The Cougars running back signed a national letter of intent to play at Graceland University in Iowa.

“It means everything,” Smith said. “Football is everything I love, and now I have an opportunity to play four more years in school.”

Smith rushed for 1,629 yards and 17 touchdowns to earn all-Central California Conference second-team honors.

In the classroom, Smith also excelled while compiling a 3.4 GPA.

He plans to major in sports management or business in college.

“He’s a hard-working young man,” Golden Valley coach Rick Martinez said. “He always had this goal in mind to get to the next level. He’s always pushed his athletic ability as far as he could and pushed himself in the classroom, more importantly.”

Smith said earning a football scholarship required a lot of discipline while in high school.

“It was four years of hard work,” Smith said. “It was working out at night, early in the morning, changing to different eating habits. You have to be willing to work out when it’s 110 degrees.”

Smith visited the campus in Iowa this past winter and he said the coaches made him feel wanted.

“I could tell the coaches really cared about me right when I walked in,” Smith said. “They greeted me, they knew who my family was and the head coach met with just me and parents. It felt just like home.”

Smith said moving to the Midwest is going to be an adjustment coming from the Central Valley.

“I’m going to have to warm up,” he said. “It’s way different there because of the weather. It gets cold.”

Smith said he visited other schools like the University of Texas-San Antonio, Nevada and Texas Western, but he got a different vibe from Graceland University.

“I’m glad the process is finally done,” Smith said. “Now I can, not relax, but focus on the main goal, which is school and getting my classes.”