Lowndes High School head basketball coach Donnie Holland is quite fond of senior guard Dylan Jarvis. In his second season working with him, Coach Holland both admires and appreciates Dylan’s contributions to the Vikings’ program. He is currently posting a team-high 13.9 points per game, including shooting 41 percent from long range and 91 percent from the free-throw line.
“He’s such a strong shooter,” Coach Holland says. “When the ball is in his hands, I know that we’re in good shape.”
Having played for the Vikings for his entire high school career, it is safe to say that Dylan has had the ball in his hands in many crucial moments. When asked, one of the first memories that come to mind is a matchup from his junior season.
“I remember when we played Madison County (Fla.),” Dylan says. “We were down late. I was in the corner and my teammate, Tyson Harris, found me. I got the pass from him and took the three (pointer). I actually fell; I got knocked over by the defender as I took the shot. I was able to sit up just in time to watch it fall through the net. That shot won us the game at the buzzer.”
Basketball is one of Dylan’s passions; he’s played all four years while attending Lowndes High, and during his interview, even comments that he received his first basketball when he was “still in (his) crib”. As with many young ball players, he does get excitement out of adding to the scoreboard. But, more than scoring, his elation and satisfaction come from a different place.
“Passing is definitely my favorite part of the game,” Dylan says. “I love to feed the post, find the open man. Scoring is cool, but I’d rather help.”
Currently holding the second-highest assist total for the Vikings this year (15), Dylan has no hesitation when it comes to putting his generosity on full display. It is his openhanded and helping nature that makes him stand out, no matter where he goes. His good-natured ways are noticed by his teammates, coaches, and others around the Lowndes community.
“Dylan is the type of kid that will go out of his way to be a help to others,” Coach Holland says. “There have been times in practice when Dylan saw a teammate that was tired or struggling to keep up, and he offered to run for him. That’s just the kind of person that he is.”
To Dylan, providing assistance is just a way of life. He doesn’t like to see others down and will go out of his way to help, whether it is on the court, in the classroom, or anywhere else.
“I’ll always appreciate Dylan’s character,” Coach Holland says. “His morals, the way he treats people; it’s the kind of thing you never forget. He’s respectful, and he’s always looking to make someone else’s day better.”
Wanting to better the lives of others is a feeling that comes naturally to Dylan. Keeping that in mind, it is only fitting that his career choice follows the same ideal. After high school, he says he would like to attend Oklahoma Christian University (Edmond, Okla.) to study biology (pre-med) and eventually become an emergency room physician.
“I might minor in something cool, like psychology,” he says. “I haven’t decided yet. But I definitely want to work somewhere in the emergency room.”
It won’t be long before his run on the court comes to an end. As of this writing, the Vikings are 5-4 on the year and have yet to enter region competition. But, according to him, the athletic road ends with graduation.
“This is it for basketball,” he says. “I love to play, but I don’t plan on playing in college. I want to focus on academics once I get there.”
A young man that stands for his beliefs, Dylan exemplifies the persona of a “people person”. He doesn’t meet a stranger, and he attributes that to his outgoing and friendly nature.
“Get to know people,” he says. “That’s one of the biggest things that I’ll always take with me. Social status doesn’t matter; people are people. If you take the time to get to know someone, you might surprise yourself with who you meet.”
Whether in athletics or elsewhere, there can never be enough of the Dylan Jarvis mentality. And if others can follow his lead, it goes without saying that the world will be in safe hands.
Dylan Jarvis
Birthdate: 11/18/1997
Birthplace: Weatherford, Oklahoma (grew up in Chickasha, Okla.)
Age: 18
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 175 lbs
Parents: Bryan and Shauna Jarvis
Siblings: None
Years Spent in the Vikings’ Basketball Program: 4
Jersey Number: 2
Preferred Position: Shooting Guard (“I feel like I’m more effective coming off of screens.”)
Career High: 32 points (5-5 FT, 9-11 3FG) in an FCA tournament
In the Game / South Georgia / February 2016
Dylan Jarvis
Lowndes High School
Valdosta, Ga.
The Helping Hand of Dylan Jarvis
By James Washington
