Class 2012: DeShawn States tackles his way to football’s elite class

Today, CFC shines the spotlight on class 2012 star defensive back from the Dartmouth High Spartans, DeShawn States. DeShawn first started playing football at the age of 12.

DeShawn States

Positions:
Defensive Back

Height/Weight:
5’11, 165 lbs

Teams:
Dartmouth High Spartans (high school (NSSAFFL))
Dartmouth Knights/ Dartmouth Destroyers (junior varsity/varsity (NSVFL))
Dartmouth Stingers (peewee)
Team Nova Scotia under-18

Commitment:
None

Consideration:
Acadia, Mount Allison, Saint Mary’s

Class:
2012

With plenty of talent and experience, DeShawn has demonstrated why he is a bright shining star on the field. During his time with the peewee Dartmouth Stingers, the standout was team defensive MVP.

While playing with the Dartmouth Knights/Destroyers football program of the Nova Scotia Varsity Football League (NSVFL), DeShawn won two straight junior varsity championship titles in 2009 and 2010.

However, the star defensive back found his football stride during a successful high school career with the Dartmouth High Spartans of the Nova Scotia Student Athletic Federation Football League (NSSAFFL). DeShawn was named rookie of the year and was selected to the NSSAFFL first all-star team at the defensive back position in the Nova Division.

The graduating defensive star experienced the highlight of his football career in July 2011. DeShawn participated at the Football Canada Cup as a member of Team Nova Scotia in Lethbridge, Alberta.

“Playing in the Canada Cup is something I will remember for a long time,” adds DeShawn who also attended Football University Camp (FBU) where he received MVP honours.

As for the main influences, DeShawn says two family members have been the driving force throughtout his football career and in life.

“My mother plays a very big part in my life and is why I want to be successful,” says the Spartans defensive standout. “My step father Lason Johnson plays a big part in football because he is the one who introduced me to this and I fell in love with it.”

Once DeShawn graduates from high school in June, he plans to continue his education at the university level. He would like to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Sociology. As for future career aspirations, the graduating standout would like to be a social worker.

Overall, DeShawn has received a beneficial education from the game of football.

“Football has shown me to be successful, you need to work well with others and now I use it at work in school or even any other sport,” comments the Spartans defensive back. “I have learned to be a leader and show work in anything and everything I do.”

Spartans head coach Nick Barr says DeShawn was “Mr. Everything” for the team. During his high school career, the standout played in defensive back, receiver and special teams positons.

“In his primary position at cornerback, I believe he was the best player in the high school league,” adds Barr, who says the Spartans defensive back is a fantastic player and a nice young man. “He’s a special talent in the sense that you always hope that the opposing team will try to take the ball his way because there is a strong possibility that DeShawn will intercept the pass or cause a fumble.”

“Defensively, he’s a very sure tackler with tremendous field awareness and he’s the kind ofathlete where you’re always looking for new ways to get the ball to him.”

Having a great personality and work ethic to compliment his style of play, Barr says DeShawn has a great future ahead of him in football.

“He has a very good attitude, and the desire to put in the hard work required to be the best player that he can be,” says the Spartans head coach. “I am confident that he will be a very productive player at the CIS level.”

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