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Interview with new California Golden Bear Coleman Edmond




In 2007, Cal had a triumvirate of wide receivers, Robert Jordan, Lavelle "The Hawk" Hawkins, and DeSean "Tha1" Jackson.  Unfortunately, after that year, they were gone to the NFL.  I don't think it would be controversial to say that Cal has not quite had that same level of play since.  We've got some new WR recruits that, alongside our current WRs, hope to change that.  Coleman Edmond is one such recruit!  It's been a long time coming for him.  Check out his story here:

This was some trip from Ulster County to northern California.

Edmond, who played quarterback and running back at Kingston in 2005, left the school to attend Harmony Community prep school in Cincinnati. He accepted a scholarship offer from Division I-AA Wagner and red-shirted in the fall of '07.

Edmond left Wagner after a year and came up with a plan to go West. Edmond, a wide receiver and kickoff returner, enrolled at UCLA in the fall of '08 and ran on the track team that spring to try to get the attention of UCLA's football staff. He was a standout sprinter on the track team at Kingston.

"I always wanted to go to a bigger school," said Edmond, who is 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. "I couldn't just sit back, I needed to follow my dream. I was just trying to get to the top, and you only live once."

While at UCLA, running the 100- and 200-meter dashes, Edmond walked into the Bruins' director of football operations office and told Steven Radicevic he wanted to walk on. According to Edmond, Radicevic laughed at him.

However, Edmond, 21, persuaded UCLA to allow him to participate during summer workouts last summer. According to Edmond, UCLA told him they didn't have any scholarship money for him. He had already taken $35,000 in loans to pay for one year of school in Westwood.

"I was devastated, I thought the summer workouts went well," Edmond said. "As well as I did, I thought they would have picked me up right away."

Edmond ended up at Pierce this past fall with the help of defensive coordinator Jeff Phillips, who coached at Wagner during Edmond's short time there. Edmond starred at Pierce, making 37 receptions, including nine for touchdowns, and amassing 1,584 all-purpose yards. He returned a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown.

In one game, a 62-55 overtime win over West Los Angeles Community College last fall, the opposition kicked the ball away from Edmond a dozen times.

Edmond ended up at UCLA, running track, hoping to get a spot on the football team.  Even though I am still able to tag him in this post as a UCLA WR, it didn't work out there.  Now he has a second chance, via Pierce Community College, to play Pac10 football.  Here's hoping the UCLA fans say "Oh, what could have been" over the next few years! 

Edmond is a man smart enough to make it into two separate elite UC schools.  Despite that intelligence, he agreed to an interview with CGB.  After the fold, learn more about one of the newest Golden Bears, Coleman Edmond.  Many thanks to Coleman for his effort here, we really appreciate it.  Good luck to him and GO BEARS!

1) What originally interested you in Cal?  What was the biggest appeal you saw in coming to play for the Bears?
 
 The family atmosphere that the whole coaching staff created.  And being from the east coast it's great to be able to play for coaches that feel like family!
 
 2) What do you look for in a school?
 
 Great academics, die hard fans, and offensive minds that have great intentions to scheme big plays!
 
3) You were originally recruited by the Bruins. How was your time at UCLA, and what made you decide to go the junior college route? 
 

 My time at UCLA was great!  I had a rough season running track due to the coast changes but as far as just being happy at a school, UCLA was a pretty special place!  I was heart broken when I had to leave UCLA to go to junior college but I'm a fighter.  I tightened my belt and got to work!  The UCLA football program let me leave despite doing very well in summer workouts with the team and my endless efforts to do what ever it took to stay there, so with no money junior college was my last hope!


4) Are there any other positions you'd like to play at the collegiate level?
 
I would just like to do whatever my team needs me to do.  I want to show the University of California I'm worth the time and money they are going to spend on me with my scholarship!

 

5) How did the facilities at Cal affect your decision?
 
 Facilities are never a big deal to me as long as I have people around that care about me.  I just thank God I can be at a great university with the chance to graduate.  There were many days and nights I would sit up wondering if that would that ever happen due to my financial background!

 

6) What were your feelings on the way Cal played this year?

Great!  In the game I saw Jahvid had 5 touchdowns.  I don't really know what happened after that because I was busy with school and really didn't watch much TV or even Sportscenter - I know, shocking!

 

7) What was your JC coach like?

I love my JC coach Efran Martinez.  I loved all my JC coaches.  They welcomed me with open arms and helped me get to the position I am in now.

 

8) What's junior college life like?

Junior college life is a grind, but again I've been grinding for the last 5 years so everyday was just another day at the office!

 

9) You're originally from New York. What made you decide to come out to the West Coast and LA in particular?

Since I was little I always had a dream and joked with myself about what it be like to be mentioned amongst the best athletes to ever live.  High hopes, I know, but what better place to go to accomplish that dream and joke then UCLA?

 

10) So after you and UCLA parted, you still were content with being out West?

 
 Yes I love the west coast.  I have a pretty good life out here and life is about being happy.  Hopefully if I'm happy off the field it will translate to pretty good success on the field.

 

11) Who was your host on the team, or the guy you've talked to the most? What's your relationship like?

 
Chris Moncrese.  Great guy.  I don't know much about our defense except that we got some pretty good linebackers coming in.  I hope Chris gets a shot to show Cal what he can do.  That'd really make me happy.

 


12) Please share w/ the fans your fondest recruiting story.

 
 Seeing all the Nike gear I will get upon my arrival to campus.  I can't wait! I love Nike!

 


13) Who do you believe is most responsible for your success at the collegiate level?

 
 There are so many people: my father and mother definitely, Earl and Sylvia Edmond; my best friend's parents Bill and Patty Stote; my highschool guidance counselors; the family that took me in that I lived with in LA; and God because he is the creator of all the great people I have come across in my life.  I am truly blessed.

 


14) What are you looking forward to the most as being a Golden Bear?

 

Hitting the home run and hearing the bear fans screaming with excitement.  Of course I will only hear that after I score because you can't hear much while running except your cleats hitting the turf.

 

Again, thanks to Coleman and GO BEARS!