Crockett Senior Signs to Run at Paul Quinn College
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
CROCKETT – Crockett High School Senior Dylan Porter signed to run track at Paul Quinn College at a ceremony held Tuesday, April 25 at the field house at Crockett schools. Porter was joined by his parents, CISD coaches and Superintendent John Emerich.
Porter played varsity football for the Bulldogs as wide receiver but it was his speed in individual and relay races that got the college coaches excited. Paul Quinn college is a small, private college located in Dallas with a student body of 550 students. The traditionally black college was founded in 1872 by the African Methodist Episcopal Church and recently underwent a $4 million expansion and renovation, encouraging students to wear “business casual” on campus to prepare students for the real world.
Porter’s father, Joseph Porter, Sr. along with grandmother Dorothy watched as the young man signed to run for the college and begin the next step in his life. Porter, Sr. said Dylan had not only worked hard but had dealt with injuries that might have taken many out of the sport.
“He put a lot of work and he fractured both his hips,” Porter Sr. said.That was in his freshman year. Yeah, so he Wow. He has persevered through a lot, so to get him to where he is now, I’m proud. Proud of him and everybody that helped him get to this point.”
CISD Athletic Director Alton Dixon was proud of Porter and how he handled himself during his time at Crockett High.
“He has earned this – he has worked very hard and very diligently,” Dixon explained. “He has truly earned this opportunity to run at the next level.”
Dixon said he did have his doubts about the young man the first time he saw him.
“When I laid eyes on Dylan Porter, he was walking like an old man. But I’ll tell you this: he showed up every day. He worked really hard. He earned a leadership role. And he was very, very momentous in the changing of the culture. He has done a great job of setting the foundation and moving forward where we want to go with the program with an attitude and tenacity to get better every day.”
Porter himself was grateful to Coach Dixon, not just for the coaching, but for improving his overall outlook and attitude.
“I have gotten more athletic and stronger because Coach Dixon has really helped this program – and especially me,” Porter said. “With Dixon being my position coach in football, and coaching me in track, it’s been great for all of us and he helped me become a better man in general.”
Porter plans to study to be a coach himself and hopefully, one day, pass along those same lessons that have brought him so far. Asked if he was nervous about moving out in to the world, he said, “…a little, but I think I will be alright.”
Father Porter Sr. agreed the young man was ready to join the world as long as he remembers who he is and how he was raised.
“‘Just go represent your family in the right way, I told him,” Porter Sr. concluded. “ He knows what the standard is. He’s a good kid and anyone that gets him in their program will be blessed to have him, because he works hard in the classroom and on the track.”
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
