Age: 27 Family: Wife, Rauiesha; Daughters, Mariah, 6; Makayla, 4
Then: Lewis was a two-time All-Metro and two-time all-state pick as a devastating linebacker for Varina. He was Central Region defensive player of the year in 2000, but teammate and cousin Jonathan Lewis, now with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, took the honor in Marcus’ senior year. (CHECK BACK FOR VIDEO OF MARCUS LEWIS PLAYING. I’LL GET IT UP ASAP!) Lewis also was a starter and key contributor on Varina basketball teams that did damage in the region.
He went to Fork Union in 2001 before latching on with Division II Shepherd of West Virginia. He was going to be transferring to Virginia Tech, but that plan was scrapped because of faulty paperwork. He played one season at Virginia Union in 2003 helping the Panthers reach the title game before concentrating on school and family.
And that’s a crazy statement.
Lewis was an absolute defensive maniac for Varina High, and was one of the best defensive players to lace up his cleats in the Central Region.
Now, his life after football is starting to rival his high-school football career.
Lewis is co-owner of Intensive Community Outreach Services, a company that works with at-risk youth that have problems with anger management, communicating, expressing their feelings and other things that plague so many Richmond youth.
Dawayne Taylor and Bernard Hayward are the other owners.
They’ve been open now for two years.
“It’s going real well, we’ve had a whole lot of clients,” Lewis said. “We have community days and big events for areas. Just giving back, basically. We want to help as many families that want to be helped.”
Lewis is also working with his wife, Rauiesha, and the Taylors on a Children’s Spa at Virginia Center Commons.
If that’s not enough, he also works with investment properties and is looking to start his own cleaning business.
“I’m just trying to be en entrepreneur,” Lewis said. “Just enjoying life and providing for my kids. Show them it’s another way than selling drugs and doing all of that other stuff. Just being a positive role model.”
Not only to his two beautiful daughters, but to over 100 football players at Varina. Somehow, Lewis finds time to coach Varina’s varsity linebackers.
It’ll be his second season under coach Stu Brown and defensive coordinator Eddie Handsome in 2009.
“I missed [football], but I love it more coaching,” said Lewis, who coached Varina’s recreation football teams before joining the high-school level. “I love the aspect of it. I was thinking about coaching in college.
“But I do so many other things.”
Some things never change.
– Stephen Lewis, slewis@digitalsports.com
Got a former Richmond-area high-school athlete making news that deserves a feature? Email Stephen.
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