Fresno star student-athlete overcame obstacles

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Hundreds of students will graduate from Central High School's East and West Campuses, Thursday, in the schools' first ever ceremony at the Save Mart Center.

Among them is a star student-athlete who overcame huge obstacles to get to where he is today.

For standout football player Michiah Quick, graduation is not the end zone it represents a new field in life.

"It's going to mean a lot to me and my family, I'm not the first to graduate, but one of the few so it's going to mean a lot to us," said Quick.

Last season, the four-star speedster made playing the game look easy, making first team all-state this year and first team all-section for the second year in a row.

He also attracted attention from college coaches all over the nation.

"We had 31 schools come through the last few years and most of them came because of him," said Central High head football coach Justin Garza. "He's an amazing human being. Football-wise you watch him on film and he blows your mind. Practice-wise you just shake your head at some of the things he can do."

There was Alabama, Notre Dame and USC, but when it came down to signing day last February, Quick chose Oklahoma as his team of choice.

"I'm very proud of him, said Former Assistant Football Coach Tony Perry. "It's going to be hard to see him go, but I'm happy for him man and he's going to excel at the next level."

But that wasn't always the case for the soon-to-be-Sooner.

"Basically, I've just been on my own since I was 14 years old and I just managed to stay down and close to my chest and look at your boy," said Quick.

Just as quick was entering high school, he said, his family life fell apart. His father was in and out of the picture and his mother lived out of the area, forcing him to sometimes live with friends just to stay on track in school.

"A person has to take care of themselves and being a team sport when you're worried about where you're going to get your next meal and stay the night and how you're going to get your homework done and so for him to take care of himself and be a great teammate and leader says a lot about his character," said Garza.

Quick said his coaches helped develop that character, one of them in particular taking him under his wing.

He credited former Assistant coach Terry Perry with encouraging him in school, taking him to visit college campuses and offering him a constant stream of advice both on and off the field.

"Tony Perry, that's my homie." said Quick. "He guided me through a lot. I started working with him 6th grade summer going into 7th grade. He put me on workouts, gave me the realist talks of my life. Probably if it weren't for him, I don't know what would be going on right now."

When he steps off the plane Friday in Norman, Oklahoma, it will be a homecoming of sorts. He'll be joining his sisters who live nearby and his cousin Hatari Byrd who was last year's big recruit from Central High School.

"School started and all that so I have to catch up over this weekend and then learn the playbook so I can get into the rotation," said Quick.

Proof his work ethic is never ending.

"I've never seen anyone do it so easy and he could play every position," said Perry. "He was very good on defense, offense, special teams, like Coach Garza said; you'd be crazy to kick the ball to him."

Quick is expected to make some big plays at Oklahoma.

As for the NFL, he admits it is his dream, but for now he plans to focus on getting a college education.