The Best Of Helix Charter: Clay Petry

Clay Petry is a 3 Star recruit who plays Wide Receiver at Helix Charter High School. Petry is ranked as a Top 200 Wide Receiver in the nation and is a Top 130 recruit in the state of California as well. Heading into his senior season, his top offers are, Boise State, Nevada, and UNLV.

Growing up, were you inspired by any NFL Players?

 Growing up I played running back and Quarterback so some guys I looked up to were Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte, and Cam Newton. A lot of people don’t know who Matt Forte is, but I’m a bears fan and he’s one of the best bears running backs of all time in my opinion. His jump cut was so nasty and he was able to do everything you would want from a running back. Reminds me of a bigger Christian McCafferey.

What high school is your biggest rival?

So Bishop’s is in La Jolla. There are also three other high schools in La Jolla that we played. La Jolla High School, La Jolla Country Day, and University City were definitely our biggest rivals because we were always battling to see who was the best team in La Jolla. It’s always fun playing those games. It seems like the crowd is always a little louder and the game is more competitive. Now that I’m at Helix, our biggest rival is definitely Oceanside. We are scheduled to play them week 1 and I know that game is going to be a fun one.

What songs do you listen to pregame, to get you hyped up?

So I’m a bit different when it comes to pregame music. I listen to a lot of slower songs because otherwise I get too pumped up and it drains me. So usually I listen to some piano, or some of Drake’s slower songs.

What is your offseason training like?

I really go hard during the off-season. Usually once the season ends I’ll take about 3-5 weeks to rest and let my body recover. And then after that it’s go time. I’ll usually work out twice a day Monday-Friday. And I’ll do that until summer camp. Then I kind of slow it down just so then I don’t burn myself out before the season. This off-season I really focused on getting faster and stronger. I lifted a ton and I put on 20lbs from the end of last season. Also, shoutout to my speed coach Les Spellman. He’s the best in the business. I’ve worked with him for about 8 weeks and the progress I’ve been able to make is unbelievable.

What is your favorite memory of your high school career?

 Favorite memory was probably just everyday at practice during my freshman year. I was lucky enough to have a great group of seniors that year. They really taught me how to be a great leader. They showed me that practice can be super fun, but at the same time super competitive and focused. They brought a great balance and they treated me like family since the first day that I met them.

Who is the best player you have ever played with or played against in your high school career?

The best player that I ever played against was definitely Jahmon McClendon. He’s a running back at UCLA now, but he went to Monte Vista high school out here in San Diego. I think this dude scored around five touchdowns that game. I think he averaged around 20 yards a carry against us. It was ridiculous.

What do you look for in choosing a college?

 I’m looking for a school with great academics. Everyone knows that football doesn’t last forever, so I’m looking for a school that will set me up for life after football. Also, I’m looking for a school that can make me a better player and person. A place that is going to challenge me to be great.

When did you start looking at colleges, and when did colleges start looking at you?

 I started looking at colleges my freshman year. I was extremely excited to get my first offer from Nevada in the summer of 2018. After that however, I didn’t have contact with coaches until quarantine started. I’ve sent out thousands of emails and twitter dms to coaches. Most of the time I didn’t get a response, but I kept sending out messages and finally they started to respond. I’m super grateful for all of the offers I have received and I’m looking forward to continue building relationships with all of these schools.

If you could meet one sports hero, who would it be?

 If I could meet one sports hero, it would be Jerry Rice. I would just want to sit down with him and talk about his work ethic. He isn’t the most talented receiver, but he’s the best so it shows how much time and effort he had to put in.

What is your favorite sports moment, as a fan?

Favorite sports moment as a fan was watching the Chicago Cubs win the World Series in 2016. My family are huge cubs fans and it was amazing to finally see them break the drought. My dad even started crying and then he got a cubs tattoo the next day.