Arik Armstead returns to class at Pleasant Grove High (through Zoom)
Arik Armstead joined the football class at Pleasant Grove High School on Thursday.
Well, sort of. The 49ers defensive lineman and Pleasant Grove alum joined through a Zoom video conference, and he held a captive audience.
In Matt Costa’s Pleasant Grove class with a screen full of mug shots, Armstead expertly played the role of motivational speaker while fielding questions from students. He detailed his experiences in high school, including the pressure to excel, the joys and pitfalls of social media, the role of student-athletes, and he urged Pleasant Grove students to look out for each other in case depression sets in during the coronavirus pandemic.
Armstead is never too far removed from his 916 roots, including his effort to boost local restaurants.
On high school expectations: “People expected a lot out of me. It was a balance handling all of that and still having fun. Those pressures and managing and balancing it, those were my trials. Dealing with injuries, a shoulder that kept popping out. It was important to me to keep going, to be a teammate. So yeah, I’m a proud PG alum.”
On leaving a prep legacy: “It’s how you want to be remembered. How do you want your senior year to go. You can go out with a bang or go out mediocre.”
On high schoolers handling social media: “Social media can be awesome in so many ways but it can also be negative in so many ways. It’s an amazing platform if you use it the right way. Instagram, that only shows the highs. It doesn’t show the process of life, the failures of the process, the down. Keep that in mind.”
On playing multiple sports in high school: “Do all you can. Basketball made me a better football player. Football made me a better basketball player. Wrestling helps football players. Play as many sports as you can. My dream was to play in the NFL and the NBA. I may still try the NBA when I retire from football. So I say play as much as you can.”
On reaching out to those who may battle depression: “Make sure you guys reach out if you’re going through something hard. Reach out to friends, people you trust. If you have a friend going through something, reach out. We’ve got to get through all of this together.”
Costa, the Pleasant Grove coach, told his class before signing off, “Keep the faith. We will play football as a team again. I miss you guys, You are my guys. Talk soon.”