Over the summer, Salvon Ahmed talked about being a role model for the young athletes in the community.
The Juanita High star and U.S. Army All-American added another piece to his community legacy on Friday, Sept. 23: A commitment to play football at the University of Washington.
“The kids are part of my community, and I love being an inspiration,” Ahmed said. “Now they can see me. They can come to my games and see me do what I do. I love that I can do that for them. That definitely played a role — knowing I could inspire my community being right across the lake.”
In the fall of 2014, when Ahmed was a sophomore, Washington was among the first Division-I schools to extend an offer. The offers and interest continued to pour in, with 11 offers from Pac-12 schools.
Notre Dame, Oregon, Stanford, Washington and USC made the final list. Ahmed made his official visit to see Notre Dame play Michigan State on Sept. 17, a visit he said reaffirmed his desire to stay home for college football.
“I think that he has close ties to family, and home would be more suited for him than out-of-state football,” said Dennis Brown, Ahmed’s grandfather, who wore a white No. 2 jersey with his grandson’s signature.
Family certainly played a big role in Ahmed’s decision, something the senior highlighted before announcing his commitment. Ahmed brought up six women in his life, including his grandmother, his mom and his girlfriend, and presented each with a rose.
His mother, Tasha McWilliams, was one of few who knew Ahmed would be playing for Washington, and was sporting a purple and gold shirt hidden under a black jacket during the ceremony.
“I only have to cross a bridge to see my baby play,” she said.
The Huskies weren’t always the front-runner, however.
“The funny part about this is that I was like, ‘I do not want to stay home,'” Ahmed said. “I was like, ‘I want to get out of here.’ I was not a Husky fan, I was a USC fan, and I thought nothing could make me stay home. Then, I met coach [Chris] Peterson, and that changed everything for me.”
Peterson has gathered commitments from several top athletes in Washington state, including Ahmed, Bothell quarterback Jacob Sirmon, Eastside Catholic tight end Hunter Bryant and Sumner’s Connor Wedington. Ahmed said he didn’t know if Washington would use him on offense or defense, but he hopes to play as a freshman.
Juanita coach Lele Teo, who worked with Ahmed as a seventh-grader, said Washington wasn’t a surprise — even five years ago.
“There was a certain bit of humility that came with him,” Teo said. “It was like, ‘Hey, I’m good,’ but you never would have thought it. How he carries himself and how he speaks, you don’t see guys of that caliber very often.”
Ahmed has missed the last several weeks due to a hand injury, but coaches hope to have Ahmed back on the field for the conference opener against Bellevue on Sept. 30.
Courtesy reminder: Tickets at Bergh Field in Kirkland are a little cheaper than those at Husky Stadium.
