HARRIS NAMED 2002 NJCAA LEA PLARSKI AWARD WINNER
The National Junior College Athletic Association is proud to announce Jermaine
Harris as the winner of the 2002 Lea Plarski Award. Harris, a member of the
2001 national championship Georgia Military College football team, graduated
following the fall term and is currently attending the University of South
Carolina.
A defensive back for the Bulldogs, Harris was recognized as an NJCAA 1st
team All-American and All-Region XVII performer. He was also a team captain
for the national championship squad. Head football coach and athletic director
Bert Williams remarks, “In the five years I have worked at Georgia Military
College, no other student athlete has left such a tremendously positive mark
on our program, school and community as Jermaine.” In addition to football,
Jermaine has also excelled as a leader within the Corps of Cadets at Georgia
Military College. Jermaine commanded an entire barracks floor and would
have received one of the college’s highest honors, Honor Company
Commander, had he not graduated early.
The Cadet Corps Regimental Accolade is “Character Above All,” and Jermaine
followed this statement to the fullest. One particular area Jermaine exceeded
the call of duty was in community service. Though required to perform a day’s
worth of community service each quarter with the cadet corps, Jermaine always
went above and beyond. He volunteered to work at a local Special Olympics
competition last spring and regularly agreed to go to visit with troubled
children at the state hospital. At Georgia Military’s last home game, where
they completed their first ever undefeated regular season, Jermaine was
thoughtful enough to remember a group of visiting veterans and he stopped
the team celebration and led the team over to welcome and thank the
veteran’s for all they had done for their country.
Major General Peter J. Boylan, President of Georgia Military College,
describes Harris as, “An above average student, Mr. Harris’ embracing of those aspects of education outside the classroom, specifically in character development,
made him a role model for all who came in contact with him. He was a proven
leader within the cadet regiment, and the other cadets willingly followed his
lead. Extremely articulate, he presented himself as a model student and was
graceful in the various activities on this campus as he was on the athletic
field. His contemporaries looked to him for leadership and guidance, and he
gave much of his own time to ensure that others succeeded. He was the first
in line and the leader of many community service projects in which students at
this college participated, and his participation in these endeavors made a
difference not only to the recipients of his largess, but perhaps even more to
those whose participation he inspired.”
“We feel (Jermaine) is exactly what we are looking for on the field and off to
build a championship program,” responds Lou Holtz, head football coach at
the University of South Carolina. At 6’4″, 210 lbs., Harris is credited with
40 tackles, 20 solo tackles, 17 assisted tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 pressures
and 4 pass break-ups from his defensive back position for the 2001 season.
Sportsmanship, leadership, community service, academic excellence, athletic
ability and achievement as well as other activities within the college are the
criteria utilized to determine the Lea Plarski Award recipient. Jermaine
Harris epitomizes each one of those characteristics and in recognition of his
achievements the NJCAA is proud to bestow this honor on such a deserving
young man.
