Former Pocahontas Standout Making an Argument On, Off Field at UAM

[Nate_Olson]

In junior high Jamie Ward was already a determined athlete. Thanks to one classmate's snide remarks, he became set on proving he could also dominate in the classroom.

"I can do anything I put my mind to," the Arkansas-Monticello senior defensive end said. "One time some nerdy kid called me a 'dumb jock.' That has stuck with me. I'm a really good athlete, but that is not all I do."

Ward proved that at Pocahontas High School where he was an all-state football and basketball player but also kept a 3.25 GPA and earned an academic scholarship from UAM.

The 6-foot-1, 250-pounder continues to shatter stereotypes as a member of UAM's debate team, which took third in the National Tournament in April.

"He is a big brother to the rest of the team and is good at motivating the other students to do better and reach a higher level. He is a natural leader," UAM Debate coach Jim Evans said. "He can't have an actual leadership role on the team because he misses some time with football, but when he is there he leads."

Ward caught Evans' eye in a speech class.
"He was a good speaker and very intelligent," Evans said. "Critical thinking skills are one of the biggest things we look for. You can teach speaking and argumentation, but you can't teach critical thinking. Jamie had that."
The converted linebacker, who led the state in tackles as a senior in 2008, has lettered at UAM three years and racked up 34 tackles with 5 tackles for a loss and a sack last season.

"Jamie is a hard worker and a good kid," UAM coach Hud Jackson said. "He was a pre-season all-conference player last year, but he got banged up. We expect him to be a good leader for us on the line again this year."
Ward was born just over the Arkansas line in Kennett, Mo. He lived there for 10 years before his father, Greg, moved the family to Pocahontas in Northeast Arkansas. He made an impact on the varsity sports teams as a sophomore. He started at linebacker and lettered in basketball and ran track until his junior year.

After leading the state in tackles, he earned KAIT Channel 8 Super Team honors and played in the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star Football game.
Greg Ward acknowledged his son's athletic prowess, but pushed him to be better in the classroom. The elder Ward insisted his son maintain a 'B' average to play sports.

"From the beginning my father always told me to put grades first, or I wouldn't play," Ward said. "I remember a couple of times I had a C, waiting on grade reports to see if I had brought it up to a B, so I could play. It has helped me because you see all the time in college football where kids lose their eligibility because of grades."

Ward graduated from PHS with a college prep diploma after taking two semesters of Advanced Placement courses, including trigonometry and calculus.

Arkansas Tech showed heavy interest in Ward, but he grew frustrated with the recruiting process when his younger brother was hospitalized with a bone disease. He was supposed to visit Tech that weekend but canceled to be with his brother.
Ward said they tried to reschedule, but then the Tech assistant, who recruited Ward, said they were offering less scholarship money than previously discussed.

Ward turned to his high school coach Dave Williams, who suggested UAM. Williams, a UAM alum, told Ward he could help him play for the Boll Weevils. Ward had already been awarded a full-ride academic scholarship, so he went to UAM and redshirted his first year.

Redshirting allowed the psychology/criminal justice major to concentrate on academics. One of the pre-requisites Ward in the first semester was public speaking. Ward showed promise after delivering a presentation on sports.
"I did pretty well in that class, and I was real confident about that presentation," Ward said. "You have to have some swag when you speak. You have to be confident. I have never been shy speaking in front of people, being a football captain and have to discuss what is going on."

Evans invited Ward to 'hang out' with the debate team for extra credit.
"I said, 'Hey, this would be great on a resume,'" Ward said. "I told them I would do it with one stipulation — I wasn't going to be involved during football season. When football season is over, I start going to debate tournaments."

The formula has worked well and both coaches are supportive in Ward's respective endeavors.

"I'm all for it. We want our players to challenge themselves academically," Jackson said. "There are 105 practicing doctors with degrees from UAM. Football is dang demanding, but we want our players to know they can do that here. This is a great school and selling point we use.

"Our debate team is also unbelievable. Every time I talk to Jim, he tells me (Ward) is doing well."
After starting as a Novice, Ward has advanced to the Varsity level and has earned as high as a fourth-place finish. This  year UAM finished third in the nationals among 30 schools. They were fourth in a  season-long series that included 127 teams from four countries.

"(Ward) is a big part of that," Evans said. "He is helpful in preparing some of the other students with sports topics, and he is also good with psychology and criminal justice because that is what he majors in."
Evans said the competitive edge Ward uses on the football field translates well to debate, but Ward sometimes finds it hard to control his emotions.

"When I put the suit on, I know I have to bottle up my intensity for 30 minutes, but sometimes my voice gets loud when I'm arguing," Ward said. "Sometimes I have to go outside and yell or do pushups. I love football because you get to hit people and go after the ball. You can't do that in debate,  you have to keep control."
Ward admitted to head-butting a debate teammate while getting pumped up for an event and yelling in frustration over a controversial ruling from a judge during a teammate's match.
"He really got us pumped up, like we were getting ready for a football game, before last year's nationals," Evans said. "That was really helpful and motivated us."

Ward showed dedication to his new sport this spring, electing to skip the annual Green/White Spring Scrimmage and help the debate squad at nationals at Huntsville, Texas on the campus of Sam Houston State.

"Football is my first love with academics right behind it, but I throw in debate as my little mistress," Ward said. "I've really enjoyed it."

Ward will have one more football and debate season to excel. He plans to attend grad school and hopes to begin a career as a U.S. Marshall.  Greg is a former Navy SEAL and his older brother team works for the FBI in California.

"I thought about coaching or pediatrics, but I can't deal with child death," he said. "I would like to be a law enforcement officer with the entire country as my jurisdiction. That really combines my degrees well."

Whatever he does, he will remember his days at UAM fondly.
"Everything I have achieved has been built a long time ago on working hard and putting academics first," Ward said.

[Big Fan]

Great article Nate.  UAM has a very good history with their debate teams, but I didn't realize Jamie was a part of it.  Thanks for the info!  +1

[Dragline]

Policemans (poster here) little brother.  I know he is proud.

[policeman]

Policemans (poster here) little brother.  I know he is proud.

Yes, very proud..

[sam]

Policemans (poster here) little brother.  I know he is proud.

Yes, very proud..

Congrats man, you must be proud.