The Recruiting Guy

Lineman draws inspiration from younger brother

Nathan and Andrew Raym.
Nathan and Andrew Raym.

Highly recruiting junior offensive lineman Andrew Raym doesn't have to look far for one of his biggest inspirations in his life.

His younger brother Nathan, 13 years old, is a special needs athlete who won a gold medal in May at the Special Olympics Oklahoma Summer Games at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

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"He's been in Special Olympics for about five years now," Andrew said.

Nathan took gold in bocce ball on a day his brother and Broken Arrow High School started spring practice.

"I wasn't able to make it down that day because that was our first day of spring ball, but I remember my mom calling me and telling me he won gold," Andrew said. "I talked to him and he was ecstatic. He was so happy he did that."

Raym, 6-4, 305 pounds, is a major University of Arkansas, Fayetteville target with scholarship offers from the Hogs, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Nebraska among others. He and Nathan are inseparable.

"He's with me every minutes of the day that I'm home, so we're together all the time," Andrew said. "Every moment with my little brother is special."

Nathan is a regular at offseason workouts, practices and games.

"He's my number one fan," Andrew said. "He's always out there cheering me on."

Broken Arrow Coach David Alexander admires how Andrew looks out for his brother.

"They have a cool relationship," Alexander said. "They do a lot together. Andrew does a great job, an absolutely great job with his younger brother."

It's not just Andrew that benefits from having Nathan around. Nathan along with his father often help feed the team peanut butter and jelly sandwiches after workouts.

"He feels like he's helping us by feeding us everyday instead of us taking care of Nathan," Alexander said. "He thinks he's the shepherd over this 120 man football team."

Andrew is determined be in a position where he can take care of Nathan's needs.

"I know whenever I get older I'm going to have to take him under my wings, so I push myself everyday so I can provide for him when I get older," Andrew said.

Nathan likes to wear referee shorts and a shirt to games and scrimmages.

"He has a flag in his back pocket and he paces up and down the front railing of the stadium ready to throw a flag," Alexander said. "It's pretty cool."

He's also not to afraid to put someone in their place.

"If you cross him he's going to give you a tech," Andrew said. "It's just how it is."

Every football game ends with a hug from Nathan and the words 'I love you'.

"That's just special to me," Andrew said.

Nathan's unconditional love softened the hurt of a season-ending playoff loss to Tulsa Union last November.

"I was almost on the verge of tears ... but he came and took a picture with me and told me he loves me and I was fine after that," Andrew said. "He and I have a special bond that will never be broken."

TCU transfer to UA

Arkansas women's basketball Coach Mike Neighbors and his staff received big news Saturday when TCU transfer and former McDonald's All American guard Amber Ramirez committed to the Razorbacks during her official visit this weekend.

Ramirez, 5-8 was an ESPN 5-star prospect coming out of San Antonio Wagner High School in 2016. ESPN rated her the No. 2 guard and No. 11 overall prospect in nation.

She was semifinalist for the 2016 Naismith High School Player of the Year and a third-team Naismith All-American as a senior. Ramirez helped lead USA Basketball to a gold and silver medal in the summer of 2016.

Ramirez started 23 of 36 games for TCU as a sophomore and averaged 10.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last season.

She will sit out the 2018-19 season and be eligible to play the following season.

E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 06/24/2018

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