Trammell-Wells a real find at Delco Christian
Before his sophomore year, Nazim Trammell-Wells had never given much thought about playing football.
A glance at the Delaware County Christian School junior running back’s statistics would give off the impression that he’s been at it for years.
That’s not the case.
“I would probably be in the gym right now, taking foul shots and working toward the basketball season, if I wasn’t playing football,’ Trammell-Wells said Monday night after Delco Christian won its first District One/12 Class A title.
Trammell-Wells was compelled by coaches and players to try out for the team prior to the 2013 season. He was apprehensive at first, but thought it wouldn’t hurt to try. At Delco Christian, the football program is assembled in the hallways. Senior captains and the coaching staff have an obligation to recruit as many boys as a possible. Second-year Knights coach Drew Pearson found a gem in Trammell-Wells, who has rushed for 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns this year. He had a 200-yard performance in the district final, a 52-27 rout of Bicentennial League rival Calvary Christian.
“Last year was really my first year doing this,’ he said. “I gave football a run back in seventh grade, but I didn’t really know what I was doing. I was kind of in and out. So, when I met Coach Pearson and Coach (Tyler) Langs, I was just walking around the school one day and they came up to me and say, ‘˜Hey, what do you think about playing running back?’I was like, ‘˜Uh, I don’t know.’ But they eventually got me out there and ever since then, I had to learn the position because I didn’t know what to do.’
Trammell-Wells immediately developed a friendship with then-senior running back David Goines who, before this year, held the school’s single-season rushing record of 1,350 yards. Trammell-Wells studied the way Goines went about his business. Goines is a freshman defensive back at Bridgton Academy in Maine.
“I watched David to see how he was successful … and I just tried to learn from him,’ Trammell-Wells said. “That’s basically like most of our team. I was in practice the other day and thinking about it, looking around at everyone. We’re really the team that’s sort of been scrapped together.’
Langs, who is the Knights’ offensive coordinator, has pushed Trammell-Wells to become the running back he is today.
“Coach Langs has made it easier for me to learn and understand the offense. (Senior) Alex Linton is the same way,’ he said. “It’s good when the whole team makes the transition together. Last year, when Coach Langs and Coach Pearson were new, we were learning the whole offense together. This year, we were able to put it altogether.’
Trammell-Wells also noted he is good friends with Upper Darby junior quarterback Christoff Minott, and the two spend most of their time talking about football.
The Knights have a long trip to Nazareth High School Friday night to play District 11 champion Pius X in the first round of the PIAA Class A tournament. The Royals, according to Pearson, are a very athletic and skilled football team that poses a tremendous challenge to his club. Quarterback Tre Jordan threw for 247 yards and rushed for 198 in Pius X’s 45-14 thumping of Marian Catholic for the District 11 championship.
