Alumni Spotlight
Angellica Grayson , North Crowley High School , Class of 2001
As an all-around athlete growing up in Crowley , Angellica Grayson had the opportunity to play volleyball and basketball , as well as run track and wrestle . After playing volleyball and basketball in college , she has spent the last 10 years playing tackle football . This summer , her team won the Women ’ s Football Alliance Super Bowl and she was named Defensive MVP for the league . She was also chosen to represent the United States at the International Federation of American Football . Grayson returned to Crowley ISD three years ago to become a teacher and coach at Summer Creek Middle School .
When did you know you wanted to play football ? Grayson : “ I actually wanted to play football when I was a seventh-grader at Crowley Middle School , but my volleyball coaches thought it would hold me back in my development in volleyball . I ’ m such a competitor , I didn ’ t want to fall behind everyone else , so I stuck with volleyball . I was the tomboy of my group . I played football with all of my friends . I got my first taste of playing in a true game in high school when we had our annual powderpuff flag football games . As I got older , I became more interested in the game , watching it on television and learning the positions . When I moved to Atlanta , I was encouraged to go to a tryout for a team called the Atlanta Explosion . I made the team , and I ’ ve been playing ever since .”
Grayson is currently the head of the basketball program and coaches track at Summer Creek Middle School . She is also a volunteer coach for the Colts ’ football team .
What is some of the best advice you ’ ve received ? Grayson : “ My first linebackers coach was Andre Jones . He won a national championship playing outside linebacker for Lou Holtz at Notre Dame and later played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions . He always told us to “ do the ordinary things extraordinarily well .” That has always stuck out to me and I use it with our athletes at Summer Creek Middle School all of the time .”
Grayson makes a tackle as a member of the Dallas Elite .
Tell us about your summer with Team USA . Grayson : “ I was fortunate enough to make the team with 44 other women from across the United States . I was one of only six linebackers on the squad . We flew into Tacoma , Wash ., and took a charter bus in Canada to play at McLeod Stadium in Langley , British Columbia . We defeated teams from Mexico , Finland and Canada to win the gold medal . It was a great experience but the tough part was that we had to pay our own way to play . It cost about $ 2,800 , plus flights , and I had to raise the money to pay for our helmets , jerseys and equipment .”
What ’ s your hope for the future of women ’ s football ? Grayson : “ Hopefully one day , we too can get compensated , have player drafts and even scholarships to play in college on a women ’ s team . I have high hopes that there will be a professional league for women and it be advertised equally to the men ’ s league that gives little girls a chance to dream and play .”
Do you know someone that we should highlight ? Submit your Alumni Spotlight suggestions to news @ crowley . k12 . tx . us
24 CROWLEY ISD CONNECTIONS | Fall 2017