GIBSONTON – He has one of the brightest futures ahead of him from the area to pair with one of the brightest smiles in all of Tampa Bay. When KJ Sails walks into a room, he lights it up–just like has done on the field for the last 3 years on varsity for the East Bay Indians. Now, he’s taking his talents from the palm trees and humidity of the southeast to the upper midwest in Iowa to play for the Hawkeyes.
Sails has been in integral part of the Indians Program and has come to epitomize the “Bay Boy” culture that Head Coach Frank LaRosa has instilled. Off the field, he shows respect looking you right in the eyes when he’s speaking to you–lending authentic feelings to his words. On the field, his actions speak louder than any syllables formed with his mouth. This is the way–the East Bay way–the Bay Boy way. And now Sails anchors one of the largest classes the Hawkeyes have committed under Kirk Ferentz’ in his 17-year tenure and vaults them into the Top 25 of the national rankings ahead of National Signing Day.
KJ began his varsity career in 2013, playing defense and special teams. He registered 77 tackles that season along with an interception, 7 passes defensed and a caused fumble helping East Bay win a district championship and advance to the second round. He continued that consistency right-on into his junior year posting 69 tackles, an interception, three passes defensed and two fumbles caused.
This season, Sails was asked by his coaches to play on the offensive side of the ball–and guess what? He balled-out there as well. KJ finished this season with 1,192 yards passing, rushing and on special teams with seven touchdowns. He was his customary self on defense with only 27 tackles, BUT two interceptions, two passes defensed, two caused fumbles and five blocked field goals.
Sails represents a large number of young men in this country playing this sport that are currently experiencing frustration, though. His first offer came extremely “late” in the eyes of many because we all knew his talents–and so did he, but the harsh reality the remained was that many players were getting offer-after-offer much earlier than him and that led to some second-guessing. The only people questioning Sails’ recruitment were the ones in the media, however. Although he had his moments, he never doubted his abilities nor did he lose the Faith that things would come–and boy did they come in a hurry.
We sat down with KJ and asked him about the process, why he chose Iowa, and what his message was to the recruits that are in the same boat as him. Here now is six good minutes with KJ Sails.
BCP: Now that this process is over and you can exhale–give us your thoughts–from that first offer all the way till the commitment to the University of Iowa.
KJ: “It’s definitely been a fun journey–my first offer was Cincinnati and I can remember it like it was yesterday. Coach Hinshaw came and we talked and coach Lo had told me at 12:53(pm) that I had received my first offer in January. I was ecstatic because it had been a fun process and I had worked hard to get to that point–gaining 31 offers later–I’ve really worked hard for what I really wanted–it’s a blessing.”
BCP: The vast majority of those offers came “way too late” in many peoples’ opinions–there was probably some frustration that built from that on your end as well. But the cliche about “it only takes one” really is true, right?
KJ: “Yes sir–It really is true–It really is.”
BCP: What is it that you can tell the other young men that are going through that same sense of frustration that you might have experienced?
KJ: “Like I said, if you continue to work hard–and continue to do what you do best–don’t let anyone stop you–don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t, because I had a lot of people tell me I was too small, tell me that I wasn’t fast enough–DON’T TAKE IT PERSONAL, don’t take it personal, though. Do what you gotta do–do whatever YOU need to do to become successful. If that makes you want to work harder–then use that to drive you. Like I said, just work on whatever it is that making you successful and you’ll be alright.”
BCP: Kind of fitting that you’d be going to Iowa with that mentality to place that’s showcased some talent like Bob Sanders–but really it’s about that Bay Boy mentality that Coach Lo has instilled in you guys, isn’t it?
KJ: “OH YEAH! It really is–Coach Lo thrives on not letting anybody tell you what you can’t do–that’s what he told us since my freshman year. That’s what we’ve been doing throughout my career there and taking it to the next level.”
BCP: You know about Bob Sanders, right? You know you’ve got to carry on the tradition of walking softly, but carrying the hit-stick on the island, right?
KJ Sails: “Haha, yessir. I’m gonna enjoy going up there and getting the chance to lockdown Big Ten receivers and not caring about what name is on the back of their jersey, or where they came from–don’t matter how many stars they had–once they get on the field it’s time to put in that work and let ’em know they are going to feel me.”
BCP: No more games left for East Bay. How’s that feel?
KJ: “It was a fun season. We went 6-4. I didn’t expect us to–we could’ve been a lot better than what we were. It definitely was a fun journey, though and a fun high school career. Accomplished a lot within these past four years–winning a district title my sophomore year to starting at safety. It was definitely a fun journey, man.”
BCP: No matter the sport, if you play–that last game as a senior feels like you’re being cheated of time since you can remember so clearly stepping on it as a freshman. Does it feel that way now?
KJ: “A little bit–it really is. I wish I could get one more stab at it and continue playing with my boys, but you’ve got to make that next step at some point and take on life.”