Purnell Swett’s Jamarian Douglas, center, hugs his mother, left, during his signing ceremony to play college football at Methodist Thursday in Pembroke.
Purnell Swett’s Jamarian Douglas, center right, signs to play college football at Methodist during a ceremony Thursday in Pembroke.
PEMBROKE — Jamarian Douglas got choked up when addressing his friends and family at his signing ceremony Thursday when he spoke of the dream that was coming true.
“It’s been a dream since I was little; ever since I was knee-high, I always wanted to play football, I always had a football in my hand growing up,” Douglas said later.
That dream was realized as the Purnell Swett senior signed to play collegiately at Methodist University.
“We talked for a while, and they made everything seem interesting,” Douglas said of Methodist. “I went on the campus for a visit, and it caught my eye, so that’s where I’m going to go.”
The 6-foot, 190-pound Douglas rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns as a senior last fall for the Rams. That came after switching positions to running back after a successful junior season at tight end.
“They’re getting a hard worker; he’s proven himself over the last few years,” Purnell Swett coach Josh Deese said. “He’s had to switch positions, from his junior to his senior year, and he did it, no questions asked, he did what was best for the team. He’s a team player, a hard worker. I’m proud of him.”
“(The position change) was pretty challenging a little bit,” Douglas said. “I still had to work hard. Can’t do it without God.”
Douglas could play tight end or running back at Methodist, he said.
“I think it’s one of those ‘where he best fits,’” Deese said. “I could see tight end; he’s got a little bit more size on him.”
Methodist is an NCAA Division-III-level program, competing in the USA South Conference.
While Douglas will only be going about an hour away to the Fayetteville campus, allowing him to remain close and his Rams coaches and teammates to easily go watch him play collegiately, Deese says he’ll miss the “infectious energy” that Douglas brings to the Purnell Swett program.
“We always know when he’s around,” Deese said. “I’m going to miss J.D. just coming in the fieldhouse at random times of the day; when I hear the door open, I’m thinking J.D. So I’m going to miss that, he’s always wanting to be around us, and that’s what we want in our boys, feel comfortable with us.”
Sports editor Chris Stiles can be reached at 910-816-1977 or by email at [email protected]. You can follow him on X at @StilesOnSports.
