DeWayne Washington returned to the place that helped him launch a 12-year NFL career as a defensive back to address Wolfpack student-athletes Wednesday night at the RBC Center.
“This is awesome,” the former Wolfpack cornerback said. “I really feel at home being here amongst all the student-athletes. It’s really bringing back memories of my days here.”
Washington said the purpose of his speech was to explain the importance of dedication and persistence to every current N.C. State athlete, from the established stars to unproven freshmen yet to participate in varsity athletics.
“For one thing, I definitely want to stress the fact that they need to finish what they start,” Washington said. “They obviously are here to play four or five years athletically, but when it comes to their education, they definitely have to finish that also.”
After joining the Pack for his freshman football season 20 years ago, Washington returned to Raleigh Wednesday night a business owner, college graduate and former NFL rookie of the year.
In 12 years with the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs, Washington amassed career totals of 31 interceptions, 7 defensive touchdowns and 47 passes broken up.
Since the conclusion to his playing days, Washington has been the National Spokesperson for the Spinal Bifida Organization and helped create the DeWayne Washington Foundation, which promotes education and charity in the Triangle area. Washington is also co-founder of the Carolina Skills Academy, a year-round organization devoted to improving the skills of aspiring young football players. The benefits of listening to a speaker as accomplished as Washington were not lost on redshirt freshman offensive tackle Sam Jones.
“I know that for me personally, it’s really awesome, especially when you see another student-athlete,” Jones said. “It’s different when it’s somebody who has been there and been through the same stuff we have and actually made it, not only in the sport, but in anything that he wanted to accomplish in life.”
Of all he accomplished in more than a decade in the NFL and in multiple business endeavors since retiring from football, Washington said the accomplishment he takes the most pride in is the Bachelor of Arts in Multiple Disciplinary Studies he earned from N.C. State in May 2001.
“I left here in 1994 and I didn’t have my degree at that time,” Washington said. “So no matter what I accomplished on the football field professionally, there was always something missing. It was something that itched at me. So I continuously, year after year, whether it was one class here or two classes there, I knew I had to get my degree. Finally earning it was really and truly — besides my wife and my kids — the thing I’m most proud of in this life.”
With the circuitous path he took to his degree in mind, Washington said the best way for young athletes to achieve success is to perpetually ask and look to answer one question — have you finished what you started?
Athletic Director treats athletes to first ‘Yow Howl’
The speakers at Wednesday night’s dinner treated the student-athletes to not only a motivational speech, but to a bit of cheerleading from the new athletic director.
In Yow’s address, she discussed the meaning and merits of the “Wolfpack Unlimited” slogan she has coined since taking over the department, and also discussed her excitement to be a part of Wolfpack athletics.
But what anyone in attendance will likely remember best was her short-lived stint as a cheerleader. Midway through her speech, Yow promised her athletes she could not contain her enthusiasm and passion for her new job. And then she backed up her words with a wolf-like howl that drew a combination of laughter, admiration and shock from the coaches, athletes and fellow administrators gathered on the RBC Center floor.
“I was practicing a little bit at home,” Yow said. “I just love the howl so much. I love that we can howl. We are wolves. We have a right to howl. Every howl is individual, like every student-athlete is an individual. I have been a fool for lesser things. I can be a fool for N.C. State athletics because that is what matters. I was focused on technique. I just wanted to be sure it wouldn’t be wimpy. I don’t think it was wimpy. And that was my No. 1 issue, was what if it was a wimpy howl? If you’re going to do it, then do it. Be real.”
Jones said he enjoyed seeing Yow show off her lighthearted side.
“It was pretty awesome,” Jones said. “It shows that she is not afraid to take off the ‘suit and tie’ mentality and put on some shorts and just be relaxed and be a part of the Pack.”