Jets’ Cam Berry: Comeback from near disaster

MADISON – Cam Berry is making his way through his senior season as starting running back for the James Clemens Jets. As designed, he is sharing reps at carrying the ball with sophomore M.J. Gideon with the hopes of having a fresh running back on every play which will give the Jets an advantage against all opponents.

For Berry, 18, the Jets are lucky to have him and his enormous talents causing havoc for opponents. For Berry, he is fortunate he’s even able to carry a football as he does as at age seven, he suffered a serious, but extremely unusual injury, which easily could have ended any chance of the young athlete to pursue athletics in any form.

“I broke the growth plate in my right knee, had major surgery and ended up in a wheelchair while having to miss two years of any athletics,” said Berry. “I had to learn how to walk again, run again and just plain earn back the desire to play again.”

The young Berry was involved in one of the strangest accidents resulting in serious injury that you could ever imagine.

While playing a game of tag with many of his friends outside his home located just off Wall Triana, Berry saw a friend of his come racing toward him on a bicycle. He attempted to get out of the path of the speeding two-wheeler, but was overtaken by the expeditious bike, which ran over him.

“I tried to get up, but couldn’t,” said Berry. “I couldn’t walk.”

Months of healing, both mentally and physically, and rehabilitation put Berry back on track to his future that has translated into a topnotch high school student-athlete. He has posted a 3.2 grade point average into his senior year, has entertained a boat-load of schools which have looked at him for its football programs and is looking at a school where he can gain an education in business.

“I’d like to own my own shoe or clothing business as I like to dress up in sharp clothes when I can,” said Berry, who has received strong considerations from schools such as Alabama A&M, Alabama State and Jackson State.

Through eight games this season The Jets are 5-3 overall and 4-2 in Region 4. Season stats for Berry are unavailable. As a junior last season, he again shared carries in the backfield, but was chosen All-Region after 872 all-purpose yards with eight touchdowns and 7.2-yards per carry. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound athlete hasn’t always been the offensive spark the Jets have grown accustomed to seeing on the field. As a sophomore, he was banging heads with opposing running backs while on defense as an outside linebacker. His move to the offense began just prior to his junior season, but he does continue to be inserted into competitive games as linebacker when called upon.

“I feel I’m a leader on the team, unselfish and run hard, run with a purpose,” said Berry, who was chosen as permanent team captain in both his junior and senior seasons. “I try and help others when they need assistance. Personally, I accept my mistakes, but strive to be better and that’s what I try and do for my teammates when they need support.”

He’s among the top five on the team in the 40yard sprint with a time of 4.53-seconds. He also loves to workout in the gym and has become one of the strongest athletes on the team indicating the strongest players use what the team labeled “Rack 1” among the equipment. He has posted impressive numbers from Rack 1. He has lifted 605 pounds in the deadlift, 545 in the squat and 300 in the bench press.

As for sharing reps with Gideon, one of his good friends, Berry said, “I’m the type to do whatever

I can do to help the team win.”

Berry is the only child with his mother Demetria Averheart who works as a hairstylist. He was born just weeks prior to Christmas, 2005 in Indianapolis where he lived until moving to Madison 10 years ago. He played youth football in Muscle Shoals and for West Minster sharing his playing time on both offense and defense. He played for the Lions of Liberty Middle School before making his way to James Clemens. He played basketball most of his youth and began to concentrate on football beginning his freshman year.

“Growing up we played a lot of backyard football and that’s where I actually found out I was good at the sport as I was always the guy that was chosen first in pick-up games,” said Berry.

As expected, the Indianapolis Colts are his favorite NFL team and he claims to be a true fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide. His talents away from athletics include being able to play the drums as he took lessons at age 10. He’s a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, attends Cornerstone Church and has offered his time helping those in nursing homes and, with his teammates, has helped feed the homeless.

Berry has been through a lot in his life and said the injury he suffered from the bicycle incident no longer bothers him, but he knows he’s lucky to be where he is wearing No. 0 for the Jets after learning to start all over again.