Photo: Phil Hoffman, Baltimore Ravens Photographer
By Jim Gehman, Player Engagement Insider
Diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] as a child, Baltimore Ravens defensive end Lawrence Guy learned he also had dyslexia after being tested while attending Arizona State.
“It was me and my dad’s idea (that I get tested),” Guy said. “We wanted to get re-evaluated because once you have ADHD growing up you have to continue to do it. I got re-tested and it pretty much just put the paperwork in line and see if anything changed or what’s out there with better testing.
“It’s something that once you have it, once you know about it, you just try to see how you can focus a little better, how you can learn a little bit differently than other people. It’s just one of those things that the knowledge of it helps you out through your education and to further it.”
While knowledge certainly helps, Guy finds that it’s still a continually trying experience.
“Yeah, you’re always frustrated with it,” he said. “It’s one of those things, a lot of people have it and don’t understand it and they say, ah, just take some Adderall or stuff like that. It kind of confuses people, saying we don’t know how to teach this person or how he is to learn.
“But it’s real simple. You just have to have someone that’s willing to work with you, willing to put in an effort to help you out. And once you have that one person, you start clicking and you just move on from there.”
Guy tries to be that “one person” by meeting with groups and hoping there’s a possibility that he’ll be able to help others who may be traveling a path similar to the one that he took.
“I hope that they take the knowledge of not to be scared and not be that person that doesn’t hold their hand up for help or ask for help,” Guy said. “Or say, ‘Hey, I need a little bit more time or try to get tutored on it.’ A lot of people don’t want to ask. They think there’s something wrong with them. They don’t want to be made fun of.
“But it’s something that truly can help you. And once you realize that someone can help you, it tells something about them. I hope these kids and adults understand and continue to work with children or children continue to work with their teachers and ask them for help so they can learn a little bit better and not get frustrated and just give up.
“I just want to be helpful to people. I’m in a situation where I’m able to reach out to a mass majority of people and I’m glad that I can do it because I struggled and I don’t want anybody else to struggle. I spoke out because you need people to speak out for people to succeed. And if you don’t speak out, you’re just going to be another statistic. It will be like well, I don’t need to speak out because nobody’s going to listen. You just hope that that one person listens.
“I hope I am (an inspiration). It’s one of those things that I’m willing to speak out for these kids. If they take something from it, I’m happy. If they don’t, I’m still happy that I wasn’t scared to speak out. So, I’m hoping I can be an inspiration for anybody from kids to teachers to the parents. Whoever is willing to take the message I’m giving and run with it, I’m happy.”
As unwavering as Guy has been with dealing with his ADHD and dyslexia, as well as helping others, he’s shown that same determination to make his way onto the field.
Originally drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2011, Guy spent that first year on injured reserve and began the following season on their practice squad. He then signed with the Indianapolis Colts and spent parts of the 2012 and 2103 campaigns with them. He was then with the San Diego Chargers for parts of the following two seasons before he was claimed off waivers by Baltimore in September of 2014.
“It’s one of those things that you just don’t have the will to give up,” Guy said. “Once you bounce around somebody is saying someone is better than you. The person you’ve picked over me is not better than me. You need to fight to be the best person you can be.
“If you give up, that’s on you. I never gave up my whole life so there’s no point for this one thing for me to give up on. So, I’ve continued to fight and I’m at where I’m at.
“Everybody has their team and this is my team. This team gave me an opportunity; they gave me the chance to succeed. I can’t say any other team didn’t, but this team put the work and the effort in for me to continue to succeed. I had a really good coach that taught me everything I needed to know and kept making sure that I improved every single day in practice.
“Clarence Brooks (the late Ravens defensive line coach), when I got here, he told me, ‘Be whoever you want to be in this league and I will coach you until you are.’ I took that and I ran with it. When I’m out here, I do everything to show that I’ve worked.”