Move Works Out for Melvin Robinson, Annandale Atoms

As a speedy, ballhawking wide receiver, "Go deep" is a request that Annandale junior Melvin Robinson has heard a lot in recent years.

Before starting high school, however, his parents issued a more serious command: Go far. Far away from the Southeast D.C. neighborhood that they feared would compromise his future.

So instead of attending Ballou, Robinson moved to Annandale, living with relatives who have assumed guardianship. There, he has blossomed into one of the most highly recruited players in the Washington area, and a second-team All-Met last year.

His Atoms (2-0) will play at South County (2-0) at 7:30 Thursday night in the Virginia AAA Patriot District opener for both teams. Robinson caught two touchdown passes in the second half of a 28-7 win last year over the Stallions, who this season boast one of the best defensive backs in the area, senior Andre Simmons.

"When I was on my way to Virginia, I said that I was going to change myself and make friends and get with people who want to do something, learn something," Robinson said. "I'm loving it here in Virginia. There's no trouble, and a lot more friends are doing something with themselves other than getting into trouble. I probably wouldn't have been playing sports" at Ballou.

"I had to put Melvin out there to save his life," said Robinson's father, Melvin Waddy, expressing his appreciation for his son's guardians, Stacey Keaton and Darnell Boyce. "I wanted his environment to be totally different from what it was in D.C. He had a lot of adversities -- people pulling a gun on him, his grades weren't up to par. He's made a great, great change."

Husky-voiced, no-nonsense Annandale Coach Dick Adams is the first to cop to having a demanding coaching style. In Robinson, who has become a 6-foot-3, 210-pound major college prospect who can jump and catch, he saw a raw, insecure, defensive high schooler who had to learn to let his guard down and be coached.

In time, Robinson softened. It took a while.

"Boy, he was rough around the edges," Adams said. "He's gone through a transformation mentally, which has been the biggest hurdle. I'm very hard on guys, and he's had it rough. We haven't coddled him at all. Not one bit. If he can make it with us, man, he can make it with anybody mentally. I wasn't sure he'd make it, but he's stayed and committed himself. Right now, his work habits are twice what they were. He's just doing everything I ask."

Robinson, who did not start playing football until eighth grade, also plays basketball at Annandale and said he plans to run track for the first time. He has received recruiting interest from Southern California and Virginia Tech and countless schools in between.

Adams considers him to be "by far" the best receiver in the 56-year history of the Annandale program, which has won six state titles. Robinson is still learning the finer points of route running, reading coverages, handling double teams and blocking.

To date, though, Robinson figures the best route he has ever run is the 18-mile trip around the Beltway from Southeast to Annandale.

"He's not even close yet to how good he can be," Adams said. "Not even close."

Annandale at South County 7:30 p.m.