Running Free

Published 9:30 am Saturday, June 30, 2007

EVERETT – Eagles are born to fly.

Fish are born to swim.

Toney Henderson was born to run and jump.

It took Henderson, a power-packed 5-foot-9, 170-pound wide receiver/cornerback, just a few minutes to astonish his peers this week during preparations for today’s Class 3A/4A East-West All-Star Football Game at Everett Memorial Stadium.

Among an impressive array of top-notch prep athletes, Henderson, a graduate of Gig Harbor High School and a member of the East squad, immediately stood out.

“He’s one of the fastest dudes I’ve ever been around, he’s got really good hands and he can jump a mile,” East quarterback Nick Williams said.

Williams quickly learned that Henderson, as a receiver, can turn a mediocre pass into a jaw-dropping completion. Henderson’s massive vertical leap more than compensates for his diminutive stature.

“He definitely can get up there,” Williams said, “and for a quarterback it makes it really easy to throw him the ball.”

Henderson constantly dodges defenders and zooms past them. Running, in particular, brings a smile to his face. It’s because he enjoys sports, but there’s more to it than that.

‘Like a prison’

Henderson loves to run because for a long time he couldn’t.

Born in Minnesota, he moved to Mississippi at the age of 1 and until he was 13 lived in Clarksdale, a town known for its role in spawning blues music. Henderson said he and his older brother, Lamont Jackson, experienced a tumultuous childhood. The brothers began living with a relative when it became clear Henderson’s biological parents were unable to care for the boys. But life in their new home was rough, Henderson said.

Besides dealing with what Henderson alleges was physical abuse, he said the brothers were essentially forced to live like prisoners. They were not allowed to go outside. For years their only contact with the outside world came when they snuck out, Henderson said.

“The home life felt like a prison,” he said. “Once we finally got out it was like, ‘Man, why go back?’”

They got out for good when Henderson’s mom stepped in and moved the boys to Washington, where Henderson has lived ever since. But Henderson’s mother still was unable to fully care for the boys. As a result, Henderson became a foster child in his early teens and bounced around before finally finding a home in Gig Harbor with his third set of foster parents.

With much of the turmoil gone, Henderson’s new began to take shape.

The natural

Three years after trying football and track and field for the first time, Henderson has emerged as a sensational athlete.

He is a four-time state track and field champion (three times in the long jump and once in the triple jump) and a rising football speedster who earned Associated Press All-State first-team defense recognition.

In February, he accepted a scholarship to compete in football and track at Western Washington University.

Henderson has been a pleasure to work with and has a bright future, East team head coach Bob Lucey said.

“He’s just gonna keep getting better and better as he plays,” said Lucey, the recently retired head coach at Curtis High School. “I could see that happening (at practices leading up to the East-West game). Everything he gets here experience-wise is going to help him at the next level. He’s going to be a really good player.”

Because of his inexperience, Henderson said he sometimes feels lost on the field. But teammates like Williams, the East QB, offered pointers all week.

“He’s only played for three years, so a lot of times he feels like he doesn’t really grasp the total (picture),” Williams said.

But once things click, watch out.

“It’s pretty hard for me to learn plays since I don’t know (much) about football,” Henderson said. “But I’m learning, and I’m a beast once I learn what to do.”

A people person

Down time is wasted time on Henderson, who enjoys rapping, drawing, visiting all kinds of churches, and, above all, talking.

He describes himself as a people person.

“He’s a cool dude. He’s outgoing and real talkative,” said Williams, who roomed with Henderson this week at the team hotel.

Williams said Henderson’s engaging personality broke the ice Monday and made it easier to relax this week. Coaches, too, appreciated Henderson’s upbeat demeanor.

“He’s a young man that’s got a great smile,” coach Lucey said, “and he really enjoys what he’s doing.”

Henderson, who used to hang out with what he called a bad crowd, changed his life when he moved to Washington. Now he’s on a constructive path that enriches the lives of those around him.

“I started to figure out who I am,” he said, “and I’m still trying to figure out who I am. And right now I’m a positive person that gives everything I have to people to make people feel good.”

‘If I die tomorrow, I’d be happy’

At some point today, Henderson probably will wow the Everett Memorial Stadium crowd. It might be a spectacular, leaping over-the-shoulder catch, a diving interception or a surprisingly potent hit.

But even if Henderson has an uneventful afternoon, he won’t mind. As the first person in his family to graduate high school and soon to be the first to go to college, he’s deeply proud of how far he’s come.

The rest is an unexpected, but highly appreciated, bonus.

“All this that I’m doing here is an accomplishment for me,” Henderson said. “(But) no matter what happens, no matter if I die tomorrow, I’d be happy.”