By: Sandy Whitesides
The words are posted boldly on a cinder block wall inside a Ranlo athletic training facility: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” Philippians 4:13.
The words overshadow the photographs and jerseys of the former college and NFL football player displayed above them, because that player has more faith in this Bible verse than in his own abilities.
As proof of that, he has it tattooed on his arm. Since he was a boy, those words have been his lifeline; now, he shares that belief with those he trains.
Most people know Tremayne Stephens, 37, as the star running back from N.C. State who went on to play professional football for the San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
For those who have followed his football career, it comes as no surprise that he ranks third among all running backs in N.C. State’s history in yards rushing, touchdowns and 100-yard games.
And it’s hard to forget his performance at the 1998 NFL Scouting Combine, when he awed coaches, scouts and onlookers with his powerful display of athleticism by delivering a 42-inch vertical leap and bolting through a 40-yard dash in less than 4.4 seconds.
There is no denying his athletic abilities, but his football stats don’t scratch the surface of who he really is and how he became a person of such strong character and faith.
Today, Stephens lives in Gaston County with his wife of 12 years, Andrea, and their 9-year-old daughter, Ashlynn. He is the CEO and speed development trainer for Athletic Development Systems, where he trains athletes of all ages – both amateur and professional.
He said he is more satisfied and happier than he’s ever been because, according to him, “I’m living a purpose-driven life. Influencing young lives is my passion. It has been ever since I can remember. To be able to do that through sports is just a bonus. I get a chance to not only change the body, but I get a chance to mold the spiritual and mental mind, as well.”
Stephens grew up in Greenville and was a star football player for his alma mater, Riverside High School in Greer, S.C. He was raised in a close-knit family that attended church and had parents, Fred and Mary Stephens, who influenced his life in positive ways.
But it wasn’t ideal. Tremayne Stephens had a stutter. In fact, he stuttered so badly that kids made fun of him throughout his schooling, calling him “stupid” and “dumb.”
The pain he endured became clear as he recalled his inability to verbalize the word “red” when the teacher asked him the color of an object. He said he had the right answers, but he couldn’t speak them.
Stephens became so frustrated and discouraged that he questioned why God would do this to him. But his mother wouldn’t allow that attitude. Instead, she told him, “God made you a very special person. Just know that everybody has something to deal with. When they make fun of you, they usually have their own insecurities.”
Stephens credits his lonely childhood years as the catalyst that molded him into who he is today.
“I’m not sorry about it at all. It made me what I am. God used my stuttering, and I’m glad that it happened this way. I know what God has brought me from,” he said.
Stephens found success on the football field when he couldn’t find it in the classroom. “Playing football was my therapy from stuttering,” he said.