2008 Woodie Awards
Hornets Top Receiver Speaks About His Life
Marquis Avery reveals his past, present and hopes for the future.
Robert Cooper, Jr.
Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: Sports
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"When I first stepped on the field in Pop Warner and I had my first game, it was a
deciding period. My mom just put me in that first game to see if I wanted to play or not. The next week I sat out, I then told my mom, 'I need to get out there. I've got to be back out there. I love it'," Avery said.
Avery is an Orange County native, born in the city of Anaheim, where he grew up. He also spent some time growing up in Oakland, where he lived with relatives. He
thoroughly enjoyed Oakland.
"I love it [in Oakland], it's a nice environment up there." Avery said.
However, it was in Anaheim where Avery went to high school.
"I went to Savanna, it was a small school. We tried to make it big." Avery said.
While attending there he played varsity football for the Rebels. From there, he would get his start at the collegiate level.
"The coaches recruited me in high school, I went shopping around looking at different junior colleges around the area. Everything seemed to work out [at Fullerton], but when I got here it was too late. So I sat out a year, and told [the coaches] I would be back, and ended up going to school here."
All of this would not be possible if not for the most important facet of his life. His Mother, Ann.
"At home it was just me and my mom. I was well taken care of. My mom made sure everything was in place so I was able to play football. Basically, she did anything to make me happy. I don't like to think of it as being spoiled, but now I realize I was a spoiled kid, and there is nothing wrong with that," Avery said.
To be fortunate enough to have a mother as Avery had, there was definitely nothing wrong with that.
"My mom is my biggest influence in my life, it has to be my mother. She played the part of mother, father, brother, sister, everything. Whenever I needed anything, from any kind of standpoint she was there," he said.
Ann was more than willing to do anything she can to fulfill her son's hopes and dreams.
"Myself being a single mom and him not having a relationship with his dad, I did have to play all those parts. I still wanted him to have a sense of family and always have that connection. I always wanted him to be able to look back on his life and be able to say that he had a wonderful childhood," Avery's mother said.
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