Washington, D.C. High School Player of the Year: Trey Jamison, Gonzaga College High School

There have been moments when Trey Jamison realized he was more appreciative of opportunities that once seemed routine, such as spending time with friends, working out and even just getting on the football field, where the Gonzaga College High School senior certainly made the most of his opportunities.

During this spring’s shortened season, the standout linebacker made 44 tackles and had three sacks, helping the Eagles to a 5-0 record. Jamison earned first-team all-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference honors and was named the DC Touchdown Club DC High School Player of the Year.

But perhaps making Jamison’s athletic success more impressive is what he did away from the field.

He was just 13 years old when his mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Jamison’s older sisters no longer lived at home, so the responsibility of caring for Kimmarie Jamison fell to Trey and his father, Vance.

“But if you didn’t know, he would never tell you,” Gonzaga football coach Randy Trivers said. “He never missed school, never missed a practice. Was a great leader, always optimistic. In the meantime, he was running back and forth, caring for his mom.”

“It was hard to see my mom go through things,” Jamison said. “There were a bunch of things I had to do to take care of my mom, things a high school kid normally wouldn’t have to do. It helped me persevere on and off the field and made me look at my opportunities differently.”

Kimmarie Jamison passed away in April 2020, though a memorial service was delayed until April 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A few hours after the service, Jamison was back on the football field, leading the Eagles to another victory. In the fall, Jamison will attend the U.S. Naval Academt and play football for the Midshipmen.

“He wasn’t a guy that grew up saluting, that thought he would be a military academy guy,” Trivers said. “He had a lot of opportunities because he’s talented athletically and academically. Navy has high-end football and is super-high academically and prepares you for a career. The most awesome thing about Trey is his strength and positivity regarding what he had to go through in his personal life. Trey is a special guy for sure.”