Gator Pride
August 30, 2019
Born to Run
August 30, 2019
The brother-to-brother sibling relationship is complex. It can cause teasing, rivalries and fights.
But the relationship, in most cases, produces mostly positive effects: laughter, motivation, drive, safety and so much more.
Local siblings, athletes and teammates – Ja’Khi Douglas and Jaylin Lucas – have a special bond that pushes them to new heights, on and off the football field.
“They work hard in the weight room; they work hard during the agility drills,” says Gary Hill, Terrebonne High School football coach. “They push each other; they help push the team. They work hard through our team drills, and then they also work hard in the classroom.”
Although one is soon to make a name for himself at Terrebonne and the other has his legacy already cemented there, Jaylin and Ja’Khi continue to push each other, motivate each other and be proud of each other.
If you are from the Houma-Thibodaux area, or perhaps anywhere in the South, you’ve most likely have heard or read the name Ja’Khi Douglas.
By this past summer, the 4-star recruit and No. 8 ranked player in Louisiana for the 2020 recruiting class had scholarship offers from over 30 college programs across the country. Ja’Khi says the recruiting process was “rough” but he enjoyed it, especially because programs scouting him in turn shed more spotlight on his teammates.
He ultimately decided to commit to Florida State University in July. “I just felt like that was the best fit for me and my family,” he shares.
Although the senior committed to FSU as a wide receiver, Ja’Khi does it all for the Tigers. He has been known to line up as a WR, quarterback and running back, and play defense, too.
His stardom sparked in 2017, when as a sophomore, he completed 62-of-100 passes for 12 touchdowns (TDs) and rushed 70 times for 598 yards and 5 TDs.
The gifted athlete’s national recognition grew even more last season when he completed 77-of-127 passes for 8 scores, ran 149 times for 685 yards and 11 TDs, caught 12 passes for 251 yards and 4 touchdowns and led the Tigers to an 11-2 season and a Class 5A State Quarterfinals appearance.
For his upcoming sophomore season, Jaylin – who also plays the WR position at Terrebonne and played for the Dumas Tigers and Houma Junior High School, like his brother – says there’s no pressure from following his brother’s footsteps. In fact, he says he’s proud of his brother – who is also one of his biggest motivations.
Not receiving too much playtime due to his freshman status last year, Jaylin is sure to be seen on the field a lot this year due to his dedication and hard work he put in during this offseason – attending football camps while working on his strength, conditioning, skills and more.
Ja’Khi acknowledges the tremendous potential in Jaylin and makes sure to pass on the lessons he has learned to his brother.
“I’ve been pushing him to be a great player on the field,” Ja’Khi says. “He has a bright future.”
Already multi-talented athlete, Jaylin also runs track and plays basketball.
For football, Ja’Khi and Jaylin both are doing whatever they can do for their team to bring home a state championship for Terrebonne this season.
Coach Gary says that the two are leaders that any team would be happy to have and are vital to the Tigers’ success.
“They’re both very humble kids. They’re a joy to be around and carry themselves really well. They communicate well and are very respectful kids. They’ve just been a joy to have and a blessing to have on our team,” he says. “When you got team leaders that can behave and do things like that, with the ability to lead not with just their mouth but also by their actions, it’s great.”
After helping his team at Terrebonne accomplish their goals, Ja’Khi hopes to carry that same mentality to FSU – where he plans to become valuable for his future team, even though he will be a true freshman.
Jaylin aims to play collegiate football, too, and set a goal for himself to make it to the professional level.
“There’s no telling where they will end up,” Coach Gary says. “But I can tell you this, they’re both going to be successful at whatever they attempt to do just because that’s the way they’re made. They’re not made to accept not reaching where they want to be. They set goals, and they work until they finish them. That has to be admired in today’s society – that they have that kind of work ethic and that kind of desire.” POV
Photos by Drew Miller
