Fresno State Athletics
Da'Mari Scott: Bulldog for Life
10/4/2017 10:08:00 AM | Football
Fresno State senior wide receiver Da'Mari Scott has overcome many obstacles in his life, but has used his experiences to become a stronger person.
Fresno State senior wide receiver Da'Mari Scott has overcome many obstacles and adversity in his life. Through it all, he has come out stronger and hopes to finish his final season as a Bulldog on a high note.
"Everyone is handed adversity in life. No one's journey is easy. It's how they handle it that makes people unique."
That quote by Kevin Conroy can be applied to everyone's life. We are all human, we all face struggles, some more than others.
Growing up on the shores of Lake Michigan in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, the start of Da'Mari Scott's journey to a Fresno State football sideline is a long, treacherous one filled with many obstacles along the way.
A small town of approximately of 10,000 people, Muskegon Heights is a typical Michigan small town where everybody knows one another and a lot is familiar. Unfortunately, it is also made up of a lot of poverty and crime as it has the second-highest crime rate in the state of Michigan. As Scott describes, "There is really nothing positive there and growing up it was really motivating to get out of that environment."
Sports became a safe haven for Scott at a young age and getting his start with football at seven, he fell in love with the sport from the beginning. Motivated to improve his life and better his circumstances, Scott took a trip to sunny California during his freshman year of high school and after hearing that he may get more looks from colleges if he were to play his final three years of high school out there, he made the move from Michigan to California by himself in the summer of 2010 just prior to the start of his sophomore year.
Being a teenager presents enough challenges for an individual, to make the addition of a new location and not having your family close, it all took a toll on Scott. Making the transition from a public high school in Michigan to a small all-boys private school in Los Angeles where the schoolwork and curriculum were more rigorous, Scott faced a tough time keeping up.
"It was such a culture shock," said Scott on the move to California. "I had never seen palm trees and private school was harder than public school. It was certainly a change I had to get used to."
Bouncing between living with his brother-in-law, former USC wide receiver Ronald Johnson, coaches and alumni, not having the stability of a home life made his grades suffer. It was more hardship Scott had to face, but as he did when he was younger, he sought refuge on the football field.
Gaining more exposure from playing at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, and with his mother, Donna, making the move to California, Scott put together a special senior season in 2012 racking up 76 receptions for 913 yards and was on the receiving end of 14 touchdowns as the Phantoms went on to a 10-win season and berth in the CIF Northern Division playoffs.
With other schools deterred by his struggles in the classroom, the Bulldogs and former head coach Tim DeRuyter stuck with him and knew he could make the improvements to be a contributor for the 'Dogs.
With his dreams of reaching the Division I level like his role model, Johnson, Scott signed with the Bulldogs in February 2013.
A few short months later, Scott was on the field practicing with the likes of Derek Carr, Davante Adams and Isaiah Burse, "It happened so fast that I didn't really know what I was witnessing until later on looking back. That team had some great leaders with those guys and they set the bar very high by how hard they worked."
Seeing early success on the field in his first two years as a Bulldog, the team won 17 games, a Mountain West Championship and went to two bowl games, it was off the field that Scott was battling more sorrow.
His mother was getting sick and feeling a need to be closer to her in Michigan to care for her, he wanted to transfer to a school closer to home. With his release in hand, Scott was set to leave Fresno, but a change of heart made him stay at Fresno State. After discussions with DeRuyter, he would need to be voted back onto the team and with the team's blessing, he was allowed to return.
"That was tough because the team had to vote me back and then I had to sit out the season opener since I was supposed to redshirt that season, but then I ended up playing the next week at Ole Miss and the rest of the season."
Former teammate Dontel James, who saw his own playing career cut short due to injury and had to overcome his share of tough luck as well, has seen Scott's transformation first-hand, "We have similar stories and I remember at the time we were both about to leave the program, but stuck it out. He has great character and is one of the hardest working players on the team. When we were on the team we used to push one another to make each other better."
Not used to dealing with losing, the 'Dogs struggled through a 3-9 season in 2015, and entering what he thought would be his final season as a Bulldog in 2016, Scott faced more difficulty as he was declared academically ineligible and would have to utilize his redshirt season.
"Sitting out last season taught me to be patient and be mentally strong," said Scott. "I have faced a lot of setbacks in my life and learned how to work through things and it was just another obstacle I had to overcome and added more fuel to the fire. I looked it as an opportunity to get better and I believe in God and that everything happens for a reason."
Making a greater commitment to his schoolwork and grades, Scott's work in the classroom paid off last May as the wide receiver was awarded the Giant Step Academic Award at the Night of Champions for being the student-athlete who has taken a giant step academically.
"I was really surprised that I won that award and it was great to see my hard work pay off," added Scott.
One person who certainly took notice of Scott's growth in the classroom and on the football field was new head coach Jeff Tedford.
"He has overcome a lot in his life and learned a lot of valuable lessons," said Tedford. "He is a great young man and you will not find a harder worker on and off the field. He values education and has really turned the corner in the classroom and matured as a person."
With a new coaching staff in place this spring, Scott was ready to prove himself again, "It was more tough luck that I had to overcome, but I knew I had to keep working."
Tedford was impressed with his fifth-year senior from the start, "We have seen him be so accountable and responsible for everything that he does. He really has his life together and a vision and is one of the most dependable guys on the team."
With summer workouts and fall camp being the place leaders emerge, Scott saw his leadership role expand this summer as he helped the 'Dogs prepare for this season.
"I am more of a lead-by-example kind of leader rather than a vocal leader," said Scott. "I try to be in front for every drill and lead by my effort and help the younger guys when they are struggling because I have been in their position before."
Junior wide receiver KeeSean Johnson, who has been teammates with Scott for the last four seasons, has seen the growth in Scott, "DaMari is a great teammate to have. You know he is going to come out to practice every day and work hard no matter what he's going through off the field. That is something as a team that you always need because some days when you are down, he may pick you up by the way he is working."
"He is a very strong-minded person and I have learned from him that regardless of what you are going through, give it your all if it something you love," added Johnson. "He has endured a lot of adversity that some people could not take and he learned to adapt and make the best of it."
With three games under his belt this fall, including catching his first touchdown of the season at Washington, Scott sets his goals for his final season as a Bulldog on helping the team win in any way he can and reach a bowl game after a two-year absence.
Graduating this spring with a degree in africana studies and hoping to keep his dreams of playing professionally alive, Scott will take the many lessons and adversities faced during his time at Fresno State and be well and uniquely prepared to deal with adversity for the rest of his life.
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160
Â
Follow us on:
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateFB
Instagram:Â Fresno_State_Football
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthletics
Â
"Everyone is handed adversity in life. No one's journey is easy. It's how they handle it that makes people unique."
That quote by Kevin Conroy can be applied to everyone's life. We are all human, we all face struggles, some more than others.
Growing up on the shores of Lake Michigan in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, the start of Da'Mari Scott's journey to a Fresno State football sideline is a long, treacherous one filled with many obstacles along the way.
A small town of approximately of 10,000 people, Muskegon Heights is a typical Michigan small town where everybody knows one another and a lot is familiar. Unfortunately, it is also made up of a lot of poverty and crime as it has the second-highest crime rate in the state of Michigan. As Scott describes, "There is really nothing positive there and growing up it was really motivating to get out of that environment."
Sports became a safe haven for Scott at a young age and getting his start with football at seven, he fell in love with the sport from the beginning. Motivated to improve his life and better his circumstances, Scott took a trip to sunny California during his freshman year of high school and after hearing that he may get more looks from colleges if he were to play his final three years of high school out there, he made the move from Michigan to California by himself in the summer of 2010 just prior to the start of his sophomore year.
Being a teenager presents enough challenges for an individual, to make the addition of a new location and not having your family close, it all took a toll on Scott. Making the transition from a public high school in Michigan to a small all-boys private school in Los Angeles where the schoolwork and curriculum were more rigorous, Scott faced a tough time keeping up.
"It was such a culture shock," said Scott on the move to California. "I had never seen palm trees and private school was harder than public school. It was certainly a change I had to get used to."
Bouncing between living with his brother-in-law, former USC wide receiver Ronald Johnson, coaches and alumni, not having the stability of a home life made his grades suffer. It was more hardship Scott had to face, but as he did when he was younger, he sought refuge on the football field.
Gaining more exposure from playing at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, and with his mother, Donna, making the move to California, Scott put together a special senior season in 2012 racking up 76 receptions for 913 yards and was on the receiving end of 14 touchdowns as the Phantoms went on to a 10-win season and berth in the CIF Northern Division playoffs.
With other schools deterred by his struggles in the classroom, the Bulldogs and former head coach Tim DeRuyter stuck with him and knew he could make the improvements to be a contributor for the 'Dogs.
With his dreams of reaching the Division I level like his role model, Johnson, Scott signed with the Bulldogs in February 2013.
A few short months later, Scott was on the field practicing with the likes of Derek Carr, Davante Adams and Isaiah Burse, "It happened so fast that I didn't really know what I was witnessing until later on looking back. That team had some great leaders with those guys and they set the bar very high by how hard they worked."
Seeing early success on the field in his first two years as a Bulldog, the team won 17 games, a Mountain West Championship and went to two bowl games, it was off the field that Scott was battling more sorrow.
His mother was getting sick and feeling a need to be closer to her in Michigan to care for her, he wanted to transfer to a school closer to home. With his release in hand, Scott was set to leave Fresno, but a change of heart made him stay at Fresno State. After discussions with DeRuyter, he would need to be voted back onto the team and with the team's blessing, he was allowed to return.
"That was tough because the team had to vote me back and then I had to sit out the season opener since I was supposed to redshirt that season, but then I ended up playing the next week at Ole Miss and the rest of the season."
Former teammate Dontel James, who saw his own playing career cut short due to injury and had to overcome his share of tough luck as well, has seen Scott's transformation first-hand, "We have similar stories and I remember at the time we were both about to leave the program, but stuck it out. He has great character and is one of the hardest working players on the team. When we were on the team we used to push one another to make each other better."
Not used to dealing with losing, the 'Dogs struggled through a 3-9 season in 2015, and entering what he thought would be his final season as a Bulldog in 2016, Scott faced more difficulty as he was declared academically ineligible and would have to utilize his redshirt season.
"Sitting out last season taught me to be patient and be mentally strong," said Scott. "I have faced a lot of setbacks in my life and learned how to work through things and it was just another obstacle I had to overcome and added more fuel to the fire. I looked it as an opportunity to get better and I believe in God and that everything happens for a reason."
Making a greater commitment to his schoolwork and grades, Scott's work in the classroom paid off last May as the wide receiver was awarded the Giant Step Academic Award at the Night of Champions for being the student-athlete who has taken a giant step academically.
"I was really surprised that I won that award and it was great to see my hard work pay off," added Scott.
One person who certainly took notice of Scott's growth in the classroom and on the football field was new head coach Jeff Tedford.
"He has overcome a lot in his life and learned a lot of valuable lessons," said Tedford. "He is a great young man and you will not find a harder worker on and off the field. He values education and has really turned the corner in the classroom and matured as a person."
With a new coaching staff in place this spring, Scott was ready to prove himself again, "It was more tough luck that I had to overcome, but I knew I had to keep working."
Tedford was impressed with his fifth-year senior from the start, "We have seen him be so accountable and responsible for everything that he does. He really has his life together and a vision and is one of the most dependable guys on the team."
With summer workouts and fall camp being the place leaders emerge, Scott saw his leadership role expand this summer as he helped the 'Dogs prepare for this season.
"I am more of a lead-by-example kind of leader rather than a vocal leader," said Scott. "I try to be in front for every drill and lead by my effort and help the younger guys when they are struggling because I have been in their position before."
Junior wide receiver KeeSean Johnson, who has been teammates with Scott for the last four seasons, has seen the growth in Scott, "DaMari is a great teammate to have. You know he is going to come out to practice every day and work hard no matter what he's going through off the field. That is something as a team that you always need because some days when you are down, he may pick you up by the way he is working."
"He is a very strong-minded person and I have learned from him that regardless of what you are going through, give it your all if it something you love," added Johnson. "He has endured a lot of adversity that some people could not take and he learned to adapt and make the best of it."
With three games under his belt this fall, including catching his first touchdown of the season at Washington, Scott sets his goals for his final season as a Bulldog on helping the team win in any way he can and reach a bowl game after a two-year absence.
Graduating this spring with a degree in africana studies and hoping to keep his dreams of playing professionally alive, Scott will take the many lessons and adversities faced during his time at Fresno State and be well and uniquely prepared to deal with adversity for the rest of his life.
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160
Â
Follow us on:
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateFB
Instagram:Â Fresno_State_Football
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthletics
Â
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