A broken hand kept Robert Jernigan from going to the city wrestling championship last year. The two-sport athlete at Carver High School is looking to make up for that and much more this wrestling season. He just came off of another successful football season at Carver playing the sport he considers to be his favorite but is looking forward to his last season as a wrestler.
Jernigan, 18, has played football at Carver since he arrived as a freshman. His love of the game started long before then and has just increased over time. It’s no coincidence that the 6’1”, 240-pound defensive end chose to attend a high school that sports a tradition of football excellence. He wanted to be a part of the Carver Tigers’ football program and, well, there was one other reason he wound up at the Columbus school.
“My mother teaches math here. She teaches freshman math, so she teaches algebra. She says she breaks the rookies in for their high school years,” says Jernigan with a smile.
Because of his mother’s vocation, it probably is no coincidence either that Jernigan is crazy about math. He has had a fascination with numbers and mathematical concepts since he was a child. That interest has led him to take every math course available, and he currently is involved in an AP calculus class where he is holding down a solid “A.”
“I have always liked math. I can remember when I was in maybe the first grade that we played these math games. The name of it was like Around the World and I really liked doing that. I would win those games. I love math. Any kind of math,” Jernigan says.
It is his combined love of sports and academics that has given Jernigan the game plan to attend college on an athletic scholarship. He hasn’t made a decision about the school yet, but with a 3.8 Grade Point Average and a desire to pursue a degree in electrical engineering, Jernigan would be a good candidate for several college athletic programs.
He credits his parents with giving him the foundation of not just maintaining his grades but actually excelling in academics. While his
parents kept a watchful eye on their son’s academic progress, Jernigan says his father spelled things out for him when it became apparent Jernigan had athletic talent that could take him to the college level.
“My father told me that lots of really good athletes play high school sports. Some of them are great football players but colleges want athletes who can make the grades when they get there. They are looking for students who make good grades. They want athletes who can do well in the classroom,” he says.
Doing well in the classroom has never been a problem for Jernigan. Even before he attended school on the same campus where his mother teaches, Jernigan wanted to finish at the top of his class. He says he has a competitive spirit that runs deep and shows up both in the classroom and on the playing field.
Jernigan exhibits a laid-back, easy-going personality but, according to him, he morphs into another person altogether when that competitive spirit kicks in. Rushing quarterbacks sparks that spirit, as does besting others in classes to have the top grades.
His competitiveness will be activated this winter as he participates for his third season as a member of Carver’s wrestling program. In his mind, Jernigan has a bit of unfinished business in the form of making it all the way to city and regional championships which he missed last year due to fracturing his hand during wrestling practice late in the season.
Jernigan tried out for the wrestling team his sophomore year in hopes of enhancing his performance on the football field. Staying in shape and developing the discipline that comes with wrestling are some of the benefits Jernigan maintains have helped him. In the beginning, wrestling was vastly different than what Jernigan expected.
“I was surprised. I thought wrestling was going to be something like I had seen on TV, like WWE. Like slamming people on the ground. I didn’t know all the rules. At first, it was hard, but eventually I got it and started to really like it,” he says.
Jernigan has experienced some great highs as a member of Carver’s football team and would like to end his time at the school with a few good wrestling memories as well. Last season amounted to a few negative moments, and he is hoping this year will be full of positive opportunities. For this math guy, that equation of 2014’s negative-ending season versus the 2015 season of positive experiences definitely equals out to positive.
Getting to know Robert:
Family: Parents, Robert, Jr. and Kimberly Jernigan; one sister, Kayla, 10
Favorite food: Mac and cheese
Favorite place to eat in Columbus: Cheddar’s
Music he listens to: R&B, rap
Athlete he admires: Ray Lewis
Favorite team (college or professional): Teams in the SEC
Person he most admires: Parents
Last book he read: Sula by Toni Morrison
Favorite movie: You Got Served
Church he attends: New Destiny Church
Hobby: Going to gym
One thing people might not know about him: I like to cook breakfast
Best thing about attending Carver High School: The coaches and teachers want you to succeed.
Columbus Valley/Academic Athlete/February 2014
Robert Jernigan
Carver High School
Columbus, Georgia
By Beth Welch
Photos by Jerry Christenson
Sports plus academics equals balanced life
