Lawrence Timmons’ last visit to the Florence School District 1 Male and Female Athletes of the Year awards banquet ended with a sparkling new trophy at his side.
He’s been carrying around a different trophy recently, though.
The former Wilson High standout linebacker and Super Bowl XLIII winner will speak at Saturday’s awards banquet at the Florence Country Club.
“I’m honored by the opportunity,” Timmons said. “It’s great to give back to the community that supported me and to see the kind of great athletes South Carolina is still producing.
“I’m happy to be a part of it.”
And perhaps more than most, Timmons knows exactly how far athletics can take someone.
Timmons was a two-time all-state selection at Wilson and a member of the 2003 Shrine Bowl team. His on-field accomplishments earned him a full scholarship to Florida State University.
Despite starting in only 13 games in three years, Timmons finished his career with 126 tackles (70 solo), eight sacks and two fumbles recoveries.
Those numbers earned him a first-round selection in the 2007 NFL draft. Timmons was selected 15th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After being used sparingly as a rookie, Timmons recorded 56 tackles and 21 assists to go with five sacks this past season.
In February, he celebrated in Tampa, Fla., after helping the team capture the Super Bowl XLIII championship, the pinnacle of the football world.
“It was a crazy feeling, sitting on the sidelines at the Super Bowl and watching everything that goes along with it,” Timmons said. “And the way it ended with us coming back in the final minutes was just amazing.
“Honestly, one of the best days of my life.”
In a little more than five years, Timmons went from shaking hands at the end of high school football games to shaking hands with the president at the White House.
“It was like living a dream,” Timmons said. “To shake Barack Obama’s hand and be at the White House and meet everybody was just an unbelievable experience.”
While he might represent the dream of every high school athlete, Timmons said his message at the banquet will focus on the awards and accolades that come with being a professional athlete.
“I think my main message is going to be about the sacrifice it takes to get this far,” Timmons said. “If you really want to do this, you’re not going to have the life of a normal 18 or 19-year-old. There’s a lot of hours spent training and in the weight room that people don’t see.”
Success in life also doesn’t necessarily mean success in athletics, Timmons added.
“You can always do something besides going pro, because not everybody makes it,” Timmons said. “Being a doctor or a lawyer or whatever is great, and you have to make sure you keep your grades up if you do go to college.
“The main thing is you have to work hard at that, too.”
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