by By Dan Ninham
SaMaury Trinidad Alexander signed a national letter of intent to play football at Ottawa University in Surprise, Arizona.
“My mother’s name is Kevanda Collins and she is Navajo from Shiprock, New Mexico,” said SaMaury. “My father’s name is Juan Alexander, he is African American and is from Nashville, Tennessee. I currently live in Phoenix, Arizona. I am 18 years old am and I am Navajo and African American descent.”
“My main sport is football and my team is the Steelers,” said SaMaury. “I also played basketball my freshman and sophomore years at Arcadia HS in Phoenix, AZ.”
“One of my main values is my family especially the ones that live on and off the reservation because they support me, my decisions, my accomplishments and help provide for me financially with what I needed for school and football,” said SaMaury.
“Coach Uribe is a big influencer for me, he was my Pop Warner coach,” said SaMaury. “He’s coached me for most of my football years. He had taught me many life lessons. ‘Head up, stay low, and drive’, is what he taught me and I use his motto in my own life situations.”
“My parents also influenced me to never give up and always set goals and strive for them,” said SaMaury. ”I work out on a daily basis to stay conditioned and to increase my strength and agility for my upcoming college football season. I’m also trying to stay consistent with a protein-based meal plan to keep my body healthy. I started outside training with a former teammate to help stay conditioned.”
“I stay connected spiritually through football because I put my all in the field when it’s go time and it’s all I think about,” said SaMaury. “My strategies I use in stressful games are staying positive, strong and focused and keep fighting.”
“When I was small I always wanted to play football,” said SaMaury. “As a student-athlete there are lots of obstacles I had to overcome with my classes, and staying injury free. I started with Pop Warner at the age of 11. After the first year I played every year and at times year around with another football league. I have won championships with both leagues and traveled to different parts of the state and years later I then entered high school. I played football my freshman year on the freshman team. After my freshman year I started on the varsity team and inducted to be captain of the football team sophomore, junior and senior year. My junior year I receive an award for All District Defensive Player of the Year.”
“I am going to achieve my Masters in Business Administration in college,” said SaMaury. “After I get my education I am going to strive to be in the NFL.”
Photo Credit: Kevanda Collins
