BELLE GLADE – The Glades Central Raiders are looking to have one of most formidable offensive lines this year in Palm Beach County.
One of those key linemen includes Jerry Alcindor, a 6-foot-3, 270-pound left tackle who is in the Class of 2025.
In his junior season at Glades Central, Alcindor recorded the following over the course of nine games played:
•33 pancakes
Alcindor’s best individual game was in Week 5 at home against Dwyer, when he recorded six pancakes in a 24-21 overtime loss.
The Raiders offensive lineman reflected on his junior season.
“My junior season was really just an emotional roller coaster, especially with all the outside noise from the community,” Alcindor said. “I learned that not everything is going to go as planned with too many broken pieces. I loved that me and my o-line stuck together the whole season, even though we had a rough road with only seven o-linemen present. I feel like if our team would have been able to better control our emotions, we would have been okay.”
With the arrival of Omar Haugabook as Glades Central’s newest head coach in the offseason, a lot has already changed in more ways than one.
“Coach Omar is a guy that if you show him you can work, he will believe in you and no matter what he will push you to your limit,” Alcindor said. “He also cares for players and their mental health. Although he may yell a lot, he will pull you aside to make sure that your okay mentally. He also teaches us things about life when we are in school, being that he is our school police.”
Alcindor went on to have a productive spring football circuit with Haugabook. In two spring games against Park Vista (21-0 win; Game 1) and Wellington (7-0 win; Game 2), he posted the following statistics for the Glades Central Spring Jamboree on Friday, May 17:
•2 pancakes against Park Vista
•3 pancakes against Wellington
“The jamboree was great,” Alcindor said. “Being able to see all the countless hours of hard work put into motion, it was a great thing to experience. It also brought back nostalgia from my first jamboree in peewee football.”
For the summer offseason in June and July, there are plans in place for Alcindor to take advantage of the camp and workout experience in a positive way.
“I plan on working with the team this summer, and with our ex-NFL offensive lineman Coach Willie Jones, Coach Omar plans to take us to camps to better get our names out there.”
Alcindor ultimately plans to end his high school football career and overall experience this fall, this winter, and next spring on a high note.
“I plan to leave high school knowing that I worked and never let up no matter what and earning a free education,” Alcindor said.
PHOTO CREDITS: Jarrod Mapp
Muck City Media Enterprises 
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