Born in the state of Hawaii, Leeroy was not the perfect youngster in his early years. He was raised by his single mother and had 4 other siblings. He often got into trouble and even spent a year in juvenile detention when he was 12. That year away from his family and friends really woke him up however because he has been an amazing example of rehabilitation since his release. He credits a mentor named Uncle Wayne Garcia for showing him how to channel his extra energy productively on the football field. He learned and honed his craft as a middle linebacker for the St Louis Saints and started to get national attention as a junior. His senior year at St. Louis was a bit of a let down however as his numbers took a dip due to a nagging injury in his foot. The big name colleges who he started to talk to as a junior quietly backed off in search of greener pastures, but coaches from smaller schools still wanted him to play for them because they saw his potential. Leeroy chose Portland State University because they offered him a "full ride" scholarship and the team didn't have great talent at his position. He saw it as his time to shine. I think that without his stay in juvenile detention, he wouldn't have the discipline to be successful in football. He was a "me first" kind of guy and through his mentorship he realized that he could not get very far with that mind set.
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