By Kiara Doyal
The Seattle Medium
At just 13 years old, Clyde Anthony Hawkins IV is already making his mark in three different sports. A member of RISE youth football, Clyde has earned national recognition in track and field and broken seven Washington state powerlifting records, accomplishments that reflect his dedication, discipline and willingness to challenge himself.
But for his father, Clyde Hawkins III, the most rewarding part of watching his son compete isn’t the records or recognition. It’s seeing the young man he is becoming.
“It’s been an incredible experience as a father. I’m proud of what he has accomplished, but I’m even proud of the discipline, dedication, and work ethic he demonstrates to get there. At 13, he’s competing at a high level in multiple sports, earning national recognition in track and field, and breaking seven Washington State powerlifting records,” said Hawkins III. “Those accomplishments are special, but what means the most to me is watching him grow as a young man. I want him to understand that talent can open doors, but hard work, consistency, and character are what keep those doors open.”
Clyde’s athletic journey began with the foundation he developed through Little League, where he learned lessons that continue to influence how he approaches competition today.
“Playing Little League has really helped my skills, especially my hand-eye coordination,” said Hawkins IV. “My love for the sport was definitely putting in the work and getting results.”
One of his favorite memories came when his team won a 10U championship. The experience taught him that preparation and teamwork could make the difference when a game became challenging.
“All those days of showing up to practice paid off, and it’s really impacting me for being prepared for anything,” said Hawkins IV. “Some things didn’t go right in the game, but us coming prepared let us win the game. So, I really just applied it to my life as a life lesson.”
His father believes those early experiences helped Clyde develop the confidence and competitive mindset he carries into each sport.
“Little League helped give him a foundation in sports. It taught him the importance of teamwork, listening to coaches, competing with confidence, and learning from both victories and defeats. You win some, you lose some. Those lessons carry over into everything he does today, whether he’s on the football field, the track, or the powerlifting platform,” said Hawkins III. “Sports are about more than winning. They teach you how to respond when things don’t go your way, how to trust your teammates, and how to keep working to improve. I believe those early experiences help build the competitive mindset he has today.”
On the football field, Clyde continues putting those lessons into practice as a defensive player for RISE’s 13U/14U team. When he steps onto the field, he must process defensive calls, stay focused on his individual assignment and work with his teammates to make stops.
“What goes through my mind when I’m making big plays for RISE? Well, when I’m on the field, let’s say during defense, when I am mid-game doing a tackle, a lot is rushing through my head,” said Hawkins IV. “The defensive calls are running through my mind, but it’s mostly on how I need to stuff the guy in front of me into the ground and just win the game.”
His father sees Clyde’s willingness to learn and challenge himself as qualities that help him continue developing as an athlete.
“He isn’t relying on ability alone. He’s willing to challenge himself in different sports, learn new skills, and keep pushing when things get difficult. He also understands that success requires consistency, not just showing up on game day,” said Hawkins III. “I think his mindset is what really separates him. He wants to improve. He wants to compete, and he’s willing to work toward his goals. As his father, I’m proud of his accomplishments, but I’m just as proud of the effort he puts into becoming better.”
Although football remains an important part of Clyde’s athletic journey, track and field is his favorite sport. Unlike football, where success often depends on teammates working together, Clyde appreciates the individual accountability that comes with competing on the track and the opportunity to identify areas where he can improve.
“It is my favorite because you really just keep on working on one thing, and it’s an individual sport,” said Hawkins IV. “So, whatever your outcome is, you can find the reasons why that outcome is the way it is because it’s your fault if you made this mistake or that mistake, but you can always fix it because it’s an individual sport. It’s just you.”
While Clyde has found success on the football field and the track, his accomplishments in powerlifting have created a special connection with his father, who also competed in the sport.
Clyde has broken seven Washington state powerlifting records, an achievement that holds particular meaning for Hawkins III because powerlifting was the sport in which he experienced some of his greatest personal success.
“I used to compete in powerlifting. My last competitions were on JBLM, and I think I got the record up there for a 605-pound press,” said Hawkins III. “That was like special for me that he was able to break those records in that particular sport, because it was something cool to share because I had the most success in powerlifting.”
For Clyde, however, breaking records came down to trusting the work he had put in before stepping onto the platform.
“What goes through my head when I am competing in the powerlifting competitions is that I either push this weight, or all of the training was for nothing,” said Hawkins IV. “And that is really all going through my mind.”
Competing in three sports at a young age presents its own challenges, but Clyde recognizes that his development extends beyond athletics. As he continues working to improve his performance, he is also learning to focus on the person he wants to become away from competition.
“Balancing all of them is a challenge, but how I be the best version of myself is through focusing on sports,” said Hawkins IV. “Then on the flip side, focusing on the person I am without sports, thinking and applying the ways I could be better in that aspect.”
His father hopes Clyde continues pursuing opportunities at the highest levels of competition while remaining grounded in the values that have helped him reach this point.
“My biggest hope is that Clyde continues to develop his abilities while staying healthy, focused, and humble and grounded. Naturally, I want to see how far he can go in sports, whether that means earning national titles, competing at the highest levels, or eventually earning opportunities at the collegiate level,” said Hawkins III. “But I also wanted to excel academically and become a strong, responsible young man. The records and the awards are great, but they don’t define his entire future. My goal is to help him build a foundation that will serve him long after his athletic career is over.”
For Clyde, the next step is to continue progressing, whether his future takes him further in football, track and field, powerlifting or along a different path.
“My goal next is just to keep on the steady track with or without sports,” said Hawkins IV. “But I want to always be going in an upward trend.”
