By T.J. Turrisi
Meadville Tribune
Aug. 27, 2010 7:00 a.m. —
Meadville resident Akeem Green has always coveted the big stage.
When he was in high school, he wanted to play for a state title. In college, it was a national title. Now it’s the grandest of productions — the NFL.
But in the past, his dream was always just out of reach.
He played for Bok Technical High School in the School District of Philadelphia. At the time, Philadelphia’s high schools were not a part of the PIAA and therefore could not enter the tournament for a state title.
“I always wanted to play state football when I was younger,” Green said. “It was two years after I graduated that they added the Philadelphia leagues to the PIAA.”
At Delaware State University, a Division I school that played Division I-AA in football, Green was again one step away from the NCAA Division I national championship.
But along the way he has played at a very high level. And the thought of being on the field in the National Football League could still become a reality.
“I’ve always wanted to be in the NFL and play in front of hundreds of thousands of people,” he said. “Everybody knew I was going to go to the NFL, so I am just going to keep that dream going now.”
At Bok Tech he won a city championship and a couple division titles. Green also set the school record for rush yards in a game with two over 250. He also became the first back to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season.
While those numbers may seem a little lackluster from a District 10 perspective, Green played against very solid competition in South Philadelphia.
The list of opponents in high school includes Matt Ryan, Steve Slaton, Maurice Stovall, William Hayes and Chad Simpson, all current or recent NFL players.
In college he went to a primary role at cornerback because of his slight, 5-foot-9, 176-pound frame. A 4.43 40-yard dash gave Green the ability to keep up with anyone.
At Delaware State he played against University of Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco and set the all-time fumble return record for college football with a 107-yard dash down the sideline.
Now 24 years old, Green has relocated to northwest Pa. to get a taste of western Pa. football, focus on his workouts while looking for an opening with an NFL team. In the meantime, he plays for the Erie Storm in the American Indoor Football Association.
“The atmosphere of western Pennsylvania is just hard work, and that’s pretty much what I’m all about,” Green said. “That’s how everybody is around here, so I like the area.”
Although Green never faced any competition from the western part of the state in high school, he heard about the tradition.
“Following them in high school,” said Green of how he knew about western Pa.’s penchant for pigskin. “I always followed my competition in the state. I watched the schools where they always recruit from. They usually recruit from western Pennsylvania pretty heavy.
“Western Pennsylvania is football to me. When you say western Pennsylvania it’s football, and I love football. So it was just a good fit for me.”
Green moved to Meadville in February after a short stint in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“When I signed (with the Storm), I knew where Erie was at,” he said. “I knew it was in western Pennsylvania and it was far from Philly. So I knew I could get focused and play football in the winter and spring and just try to get back to where I wanted to be.
“I found an apartment and just fell in love with Meadville. I was working out a lot, so I just needed a place to be stable and a place to work and I knew I would be OK.”
Green typically works out twice a day — two hours in the morning, and an hour at mid-day or at night on the track in Meadville.
“I’m always tracking myself in my times to make sure I am where I need to be,” he said. “That’s what I am pretty much doing, and then hard work in the gym in the weight room. I am trying to gain some real weight. I have never been up there around 185, so I am trying to have the look for if a scout wants to look at me.”
