University of Richmond Athletics
Captain?s Choice: Jones Finds Himself In Familiar Role
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. – Redshirt senior David Jones had just stepped off the beach in Jacksonville when he answered the phone to conduct an interview. No the 6-2, 190-pound safety hadn’t just finished laying out, he was dripping with sweat after finishing his workout in the sand.
“Working out in the sand is one of my favorite things to do, it really gives you a different feel and any time I can get some extra work in that my competitors might not be doing, I’m going to do it,” Jones said.
Extra work is nothing new to Jones, who finds himself in a familiar leadership role as he enters his final season at Robins Stadium.
“I’ve really been in a leadership type position ever since my sophomore year of high school. It was an adjustment for me because I’m not an overly vocal guy, but I just tried to lead by example with my work ethic and trying to set the tone and that’s what I’ve always tried to do, no matter what team I was on,” Jones added.
Lessons From Home
Hard work and putting in extra effort is something that Jones learned at an early age from his parents, Michael and Nycole. His father runs his own construction company, while his mother is a teacher at the local school.
“My parents are very different,” Jones said with a laugh. “I’m a lot like my dad in a way that he’s more reserved and is somewhat of a quiet leader. My mom isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. I had plenty of friends who had my mom as a teacher who didn’t like her at first because she was hard on them, then a few years down the road, they would come back and tell me how much they loved my mom because she was real with them and pushed them.”
Jones credits his parents for instilling him with a competitive edge and work ethic that has separated him on the field, in the weight room and in the classroom. His work doesn’t stop there as the St. Petersburg, Fla. native has spent countless hours in the community giving back to those around him.
“Working with kids is something I love to do,” Jones said. “I got involved with a program here in Florida when I was growing up and I loved it so much that I kept coming back. I loved being able to be somewhat of a role model to them, just by playing games and spending time with them.”
After earning his sociology degree earlier this month, Jones looks forward to one day working with kids in some capacity.
“Whenever my football days come to an end, I want to stay involved with kids, whether it be a teacher like my mom, or a coach or social work, I just want to make a difference in the lives of kids around me,” Jones said.
Move Over Kyle…
Jones’ leadership position started during his high school days when he was named the starting quarterback for the varsity team at St. Petersburg High School.
“I learned very quickly how to lead guys, especially guys who were older than me, because I had no choice. If our team was going to win, I needed to be able to be a leader, no matter how old I was,” Jones said.
Many talks with his dad provided Jones guidance and that guidance paid off as he led his team to three straight city championships an undefeated season during his junior campaign.
“I love offense, I love having the ball in my hands, that’s why I like special teams so much,” Jones said. “Having that experience on the offensive side has really helped me with reads and knowing tendencies when I’m playing safety.”
Asked if he’s ever tried to give rising junior Kyle Lauletta any tips, Jones laughed and said, “I let Kyle do his thing, I think he’s proven to everyone what he’s capable of.”
Land Of Opportunities
With Jones’ success in high school, he had plenty of schools interested in his talents, but Richmond separated itself because of one reason.
“I honestly felt like Richmond gave me the best opportunity to succeed in life. I knew I was going to get a chance to showcase my talent on the field, but the biggest thing to myself and my family was the opportunity to get that degree and know that with hard work, I would have a future ahead of me, whether it was football or not. Richmond has given me the opportunity to succeed in anything I do,” Jones said.