Jerry Gray, Lubbock native and National Football League coach for the Washington Redskins, will host a scholarship golf tournament Saturday at Meadowbrook Golf Course to raise money for athletic scholarships for Estacado High School graduates to attend Texas Tech.
Gray, who is an Estacado alumnus, said he organized the tournament to benefit high school students who want to pursue their dreams in the world of athletics beyond the high school level.
"Once the kids are able to get inside the university and see what that life is all about, they will be able to see that any chance you get to further your education outside of high school is a great plus," he said. "I think getting Estacado involved and giving them something to dream about gives them a chance to succeed."
The tournament will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday and all benefits go toward scholarships for Estacado students wishing to attend Tech. Throughout the past few years Estacado has seen some bad times with decreasing test scores and increasing drop-out rates, but Gray said giving high school students the chance to go to college is the main reason he is organizing this tournament.
"If you can dream it, I think you can actually do it," he said. "I want the kids to understand that whatever you want to do in life can be accomplished and if I can help out some students by giving them a little boost along the way, then I have done my job."
Along with the golf tournament, Gray also will host a barbecue dinner and sports memorabilia auction Friday at 6 p.m. in the Estacado High School cafeteria. The auction will feature autographed jerseys and helmets from Troy Aikman, Brian Urlacher, Eli Manning, Reggie Bush and Brett Favre, along with more auction items.
Gray competed in the NFL from 1985 until 1993 as a cornerback and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection. After his career as a defensive back, Gray began to coach in the NFL where he served as the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills and now works as the secondary coach for the Redskins.
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