About The champion newspaper. (Decatur, GA) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 2019)
SPORTS THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17 - 23, 2019 • Page 15 FOOTBALL Southwest DeKalb High School graduate and current Indianapolis Colts cornerback Rock Ya-Sin returned to his alma mater to speak to students. Photos by Carla Parker NFL player Rock Ya-Sin speaks to students at Southwest DeKalb BY CARLA PARKER carla@dekalbchamp.com Southwest DeKalb High School graduate and current Indianapolis Colts cornerback Abdurrahman Ibn “Rock” Ya-Sin returned to his alma mater Oct. 9 to speak to students about life after high school. Ya-Sin, a 2015 graduate of Southwest DeKalb, is in his first season with the Colts after being drafted in the second round at 34th overall last May. During the Colts’ bye week, Ya- Sin stopped by his old high school to give the students encouragement about their future. “I wish I had somebody to come back and speak to me when I was here to give me hope,” he said. “[I wanted to] let them know that it can be done. You can do whatever you put your mind to, and I felt the kids need that. I love Southwest DeKalb. Anytime I can get some free time, I always want to come back and talk to the kids.” During his high school career, Ya-Sin won two state wrestling titles, and was a two-time all-county and all-region selection in football. He also led the county in interceptions his senior year in 2014. Ya-Sin continued his football career at Presbyterian College, where he played for three seasons before transferring to Temple. Ya-Sin appeared in 12 games for the Temple Owls and recorded 47 tackles (36 solo), 2.0 tackles for loss and 12 passes defended. His 12 passes defended ranked third in the conference and 14th in the nation. In five games with the Colts, he has 14 tackles, including a season-high of six tackles against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 6. The game was nationally televised on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” and the Colts won 19-13. When “Sunday Night Football” aired the players’ self-introductions during the game, Ya-Sin acknowledged Southwest DeKalb instead of Temple or Presbyterian as the previous school he attended. “[Southwest DeKalb] is my roots,” he said. “I feel like this place molded me. The people that I’ve met here molded me into the person and player I am today. I felt like they deserved it.” Ya-Sin said the message that he hopes sticks with students is that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible. “[Also], understand that it’s a process and you have to trust the process,” he said. “There is no such thing as instant gratification in life. So, you have to trust the process and continue to work hard and persevere through whatever.” FOLLOW US ON ALL OF ft Q © OUR SOCIAL MEDIA! @DEKALBCHAMPNEWS
