Darren Willis
Encyclopedia
Darren Willis is a former Arizona State University
and professional American football player with the Tampa Bay Storm
.
of Santa Monica High where he starred as a player on the 1982 CIF football champions and was teammates with Sam Anno
and USC
standout Keith Davis on the team that beat Long Beach Poly 21-8. He was also teammates in high school with fellow Santa Monica defensive back Junior Thurman who eventually along with Sam Anno
transferred to USC after playing football at West LA College. Darren starred as a player on the 1982 CIF championship football team and also played defense with Dean Cain
, who starred as a defensive back on the 1981-82 team that beat Long Beach Poly 21-8 before accepting a scholarship to play football at Princeton University
. Willis later became a coach on the Santa Monica staff in 2001 and helped guide the Vikings to a CIF title the school's first since he was a prep at the school.
. The Sun Devils were also the 1986 Pac Ten Champions and beat both USC and UCLA in Los Angeles and a 16-9 win over the Bruins on October 4, 1987 would prove to be the deciding game in the conference. Van Raaphorst, who led Arizona State to its first Rose Bowl appearance, defeating Michigan 22-15, in the 1987 game. Van Raaphorst passed for 193 yards and two touchdowns in the game, out-dueling the Wolverines' Jim Harbaugh, and capturing Rose Bowl MVP honors. (The Arizona State University quarterback and 1987 Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player Jeff Van Raaphorst was eventually inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame).
and has successfully developed personal workout plans for High school, college, and NFL football players to maximize their athletic potential.
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
and professional American football player with the Tampa Bay Storm
Tampa Bay Storm
The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....
.
High school years
He is an alumnusAlumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
of Santa Monica High where he starred as a player on the 1982 CIF football champions and was teammates with Sam Anno
Sam Anno
Sam Scott Anno is an American football linebackers and special teams coach for the University of San Diego Toreros.-High school career:...
and USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
standout Keith Davis on the team that beat Long Beach Poly 21-8. He was also teammates in high school with fellow Santa Monica defensive back Junior Thurman who eventually along with Sam Anno
Sam Anno
Sam Scott Anno is an American football linebackers and special teams coach for the University of San Diego Toreros.-High school career:...
transferred to USC after playing football at West LA College. Darren starred as a player on the 1982 CIF championship football team and also played defense with Dean Cain
Dean Cain
Dean Cain is an American actor. He is most widely known for his role as Clark Kent/Superman in the popular American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.-Early life:...
, who starred as a defensive back on the 1981-82 team that beat Long Beach Poly 21-8 before accepting a scholarship to play football at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. Willis later became a coach on the Santa Monica staff in 2001 and helped guide the Vikings to a CIF title the school's first since he was a prep at the school.
College career
Willis was the starting free safety on the 1987 Rose Bowl Champions team that helped the Sun Devils reach their first appearance for the Arizona State Sun Devils football team in the 1987 Rose Bowl1987 Rose Bowl
The 1987 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. It was the 73rd Rose Bowl Game. The Arizona State Sun Devils, champions of the Pacific-10 Conference, defeated the Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, 22-15....
. The Sun Devils were also the 1986 Pac Ten Champions and beat both USC and UCLA in Los Angeles and a 16-9 win over the Bruins on October 4, 1987 would prove to be the deciding game in the conference. Van Raaphorst, who led Arizona State to its first Rose Bowl appearance, defeating Michigan 22-15, in the 1987 game. Van Raaphorst passed for 193 yards and two touchdowns in the game, out-dueling the Wolverines' Jim Harbaugh, and capturing Rose Bowl MVP honors. (The Arizona State University quarterback and 1987 Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player Jeff Van Raaphorst was eventually inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame).
Professional career
Willis grabbed 6 receptions for 124 yards and a TD in the 1991 Arena Bowl championship and was named the game's Ironman. He is currently recognized as one of the top athletics trainers working with current NFL players such as Shawne Merriman. Willis holds a degree from Arizona State University in KinesiologyKinesiology
Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics is the scientific study of human movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms. Applications of kinesiology to human health include: biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational...
and has successfully developed personal workout plans for High school, college, and NFL football players to maximize their athletic potential.