It Takes A Village: Jamyri Rice

You know the old cliche.. “It takes a village to raise a child.” There is nowhere that rings more true than in Union County, SC.

Union is an intimate place where just about everyone is familiar with one another and faith/family values run just as deep as their love for football — and there is a fantastic high school football tradition in Jacket Country. Long before the district consolidated Jonesville, Lockhart, and Union into one high school, Union County alone produced such legends as Sebastian Savage and Roscoe Crosby — or a more recent example since the consolidation: Shi Smith.

Without a doubt, love of football and community starts at a very early age in Union County — and that is where the story begins for current Yellow Jacket senior defensive tackle/outside linebacker Jamyri Rice.

“I love Union”, said Rice. “We are just a stereotypical small southern town. Everybody knows everybody and there are no strangers. That is especially true for me. I get along with everybody I come into contact with. That is what makes playing football here different. You have a tight-knit community that is all in for the team and their love and passion is just different. There is a great culture here and I am just glad I get to be a part of it.”

“I got started in football at a very early age”, Rice later added. “I used to wrestle and play baseball and have even ran track for a couple of years. But, since all my cousins — who I am pretty close to, were playing football, I wanted to get into it. I began my playing career with a travel ball team in Union called the Bulls, and I have come to love the game so much that I decided I wanted to give up playing other sports to focus solely on football.”

Family is important to Jamyri, and he truly looks at everyone as a part of his extended family. It all starts with his mama Brandy Lyles and his grandfather Ronnie.

“My mama is a single mother doing the best she can to raise four kids”, said Rice warmly. “Without her, I would not be here, so I have to give her all the love and respect she deserves. But, it was my papa that showed me what it means to be a man. He showed me how to get up every day and work hard for everything you get. He taught me that even when times get hard, you have to keep on pushing.”

As mentioned earlier, Jamyri has a close relationship with his cousins. Oftentimes, one of your cousins becomes more like a sibling when you’re growing up. That is the case for Rice, who has three that have been major influences on his growth over the years.

“One of my cousins, Trevor Booker, came in and showed me a different side of life”, said Jamyri. “He came up from the same side of town I am growing up in and showed me that someone from my neighborhood can make it out and be something. If he could make a better life for himself, so could I. Then there is Kaila. She is like a sister to me. She has always kept me straight, constantly talking me out of things I have no business doing. There is also Pete, who is like a brother. We grew up in the same house and have been together all our lives. I can trust him and come to him about almost anything. He inspired me by not letting a torn ACL stop him.”

“I also got some help from Floyd Lyles”, said Rice. “He helped me to grow a different kind of love for the game. He came to me the Spring before my freshman year and talked to me about football, giving me a different perspective. He has been there for me my whole high school career and showed me what it is like to lose it all and come back even better off than you were before.”

The only thing more important to Jamyri than his big extended family is his faith. Not surprisingly, one way Jamyri has always gotten hyped for games is by chatting it up with the Father above.

“I usually prepare for a game with prayer”, said Jamyri. “Every time I enter the locker room, I always ask God for strength. I grew up in the Church. God showed Himself to me when I was going through a deep depression. He helped me through it and helped me to see myself the way He sees me. He showed me that even when you are at your lowest, all you have to do is trust Him and eventually everything will be ok.”

Being strong in the face of hardship is a trait he also learned from his Aunt.

“I call my Aunt Jessica “Block”, said Rice. She showed me that even at your lowest, you still have to be strong for those around you. Even when you are hurting, you have to be like a block of concrete—  because someone has to carry the load.”

Concrete is actually an interesting metaphor given what he does for a job outside of school and football. Instead of bagging groceries, washing cars, or working the McDonald’s drive through like many youth his age, Rice likes to get down and dirty.

“I love to work”, said Rice proudly. “I love my job. I work in construction building houses and doing remodels. I got into it because I took the class my freshman year. I just have a different kind of love for doing hard manual labor.”

Rice’s love for construction work has helped him shape his future beyond the gridiron — which though he loves and will always be fond of Union, involves leaving to pursue his goals.

“My plan after graduation is to attend Clemson University”, said Jamyri. “I want to study construction management and after I get my degree, I want to move to Charlotte to start my life.”

But, before he finishes his senior season and heads to Tigertown, Rice has one simple piece of advice to leave with the youth of Union.

“Always be coachable. Listen to what your mentors and coaches have to say. If they put you in your place, don’t respond with anger. Instead, be respectful.”

You can catch Jamyri and his village cheering him on Friday night at Union County Stadium when they renew their rivalry with Greer in the next chapter of the Jacket Bowl.