We all know that

being a college student is tough, but imagine being an athlete,

student and parent simultaneously. Ashland Eagle defensive lineman

Jeris Pendleton, a junior exercise science major, is a combination

of the three. He is the father of Jeris Jr., 6, and Jamere,

4.

“When I come home,

they have a lot of energy and want attention,” Pendleton said.

“That’s how kids are…It’s natural for them because they haven’t

seen me all day.”

Being a full-time

student, football player and a father can be quite the

challenge.

“Doing all three

is tough but at the same time, some areas don’t get as much

attention,” Pendleton said. “It takes a lot commitment and

sacrifice.”

He said that an

average “good” day consists of him waking up at 4:30 a.m. and

getting ready to go to weight lifting. Next, he attends classes

throughout the day from 9 a.m. until practice. After practice he is

fully attentive to his kids until 9 p.m.

“I got to pull

some extra hours to get the homework and studying done,” Pendleton

said.

Exhausted from a

long day, Pendleton goes to bed between 10:30 p.m. and 12 a.m. On a

bad day he ends up going to bed between 2-2:30 a.m. That’s an

average of four hours of sleep per night.

Pendleton began

playing football his freshman year of high school. He took several

years off school and worked in a nursing home and in construction,

but eventually decided to return to school to pursue his dream.

When presented an opportunity to play football by assistant coach

Michael Bath, he took it.

“It’s just the

excitement of the game,” Pendleton said. “I get a rush when I get

on the field and just… do what I love to do. I love playing

football. It’s a dream of mine to make it to the next level and go

professional. That’s why I’m pursuing it and why I’m here

now.”

His oldest son

Jeris is more into school but he loves sports, too. When describing

his other son, Pendleton said, “Jamere is definitely football 100

percent. When I’m watching football he is watching it, too. It’s

all about him…but I won’t force them to play because that’s

something that they have to decide. If football is what they love,

then I’m with them 100 percent.”

Pendleton’s

hobbies include playing basketball and playing “DJ Hero” with his

kids. If he doesn’t make it into professional football, he will go

into physical therapy or criminal justice due to the high demand

for police officers.