Trio makes North Midget football family affair
When the North Fort Myers Red Knights Pop Warner football Midgets take the field Saturday in North Port against Charlotte, they hope to make the Warriors see double.
And if a set of three brothers has a big day, the Knights just might make them see triple.
Jaheed, Jarhi and Jahyde Marcus, a trio of eighth-graders at Caloosa Middle School, have turned the Midget squad into a family affair, and all are looking to go far in the upcoming Peace River Conference playoffs.
Jahyde and Jahri are identical twins while Jaheed is their younger brother. They came to North Fort Myers last year, and, after sitting a year have made up for lost time on both sides of the ball.
The family moved here from the Bronx, New York after their mother decided it was time for a change and thought by moving to Florida it was help them peruse their dream of playing football.
“We were always interested in playing football since we were little and our mom wanted us to play” Jahyde said.
Shadiya, their older sister, said going from a large city to a small town was a difficult transition for them, especially since much of their family still lives up north.
“It was hard for them to come here, but they adjusted quickly. They like it, but the heat bothers them. It’s pretty relentless in the summer,” Shadiya said.
Once on the field, their impact was instant, as the Midget squad played its way to a second-place finish in Division 1 and a 7-1 record.
Jahyde plays cornerback, Jahri plays running back and wide receiver, Jaheed is also a receiver and corner on defense and all have shown great potential.
Midget coach Ron Kelly said he sees three good kids who have played just two years of organized football with great discipline who contribute to the team.
“All three can potentially be great receivers at the high school level, but they have some things to learn and that’s why they’re out here. They’re lagging a little in their technique,” Kelly said.
Kelly said he would prefer they stay in Pop Warner for another year of seasoning, but that decision is up to them, since there is freshman football at North.
Shadiya has no doubt her brothers have a great shot of playing high school football, or something else.
“They’re very driven and passionate about what they do. We have them in football and basketball, and they have a passion for it,” Shadiya said. “As brothers, there’s always an argument. They’re brothers. But they defend each other and are always together.”
“We like to be together and compete with each other, so it makes it more fun when it’s with someone you know,” Jahri said. “We compete against each other in practice, but there’s no rivalry.”
All three are confident of their chances against Charlotte
“I’m looking for us to move on, hopefully. We’ve seen Charlotte and they’re a good team,” Jahyde said. “If we get ahead, we can get them mad.”