Make An Effort, Not An Excuse.
Story by Anna Cooke. Photography by Jacqui Silla. C
hris Godwin has never forgotten the advice a coach once gave him. Write down every excuse, every reason for not getting up, every day; write down every
reason to not push, to not be excellent. “Write down your fears, your pain, your perceived limits,” the coach told him. “Then, leave those excuses behind in the locker room.” This is how Chris and his life partner, Mariah
DelPercio, power through every day of their lives, in everything they do. We sat down with Chris and Mariah on a
recent Saturday at Ulele, a riverfront restaurant in Tampa. Chris, a receiver for the Tampa Bay Bucs, played a late game against the Cleveland Browns the night before, yet both he and Mariah were gra- cious and animated during our early morning photo shoot. Their dogs, Ghost and Ziggy were happy, polite and just as animated. No question, there is a lot of love, kindness, and respect between Chris, Mariah and their dogs. Chris played football at Middletown High
School in Delaware. An avid dog lover now, Chris didn’t grow up around dogs, so he had always been indifferent to them. That is, until he met his football coach’s young daughter Mariah and her family’s two dogs, Dino, a ShihTzu Poodle mix, and Duke, a Yorkie Pom mix. “The dogs were small with big personalities,” said Chris. “They were a good intro- duction to dogs, for me.” Mariah added, smiling, “Dino wasn’t comfort-
able around men, but he instantly fell in love with Chris, which was a good sign.” “It was probably two years before we went on
our first official date,” said Mariah. “We were best friends first.” After graduation, the high school sweethearts
went off to Penn State, where Chris emerged as a leading wide receiver during his sophomore year, racking up 1,101 yards and five touchdowns. While Chris was making his mark with the Nittany Lions and majoring in telecommunications, Mariah was majoring in nursing. She eventually switched her major to sports nutrition, her lifelong passion. Working out together since they were in high
school, fitness has always been a big part of the couple’s lives.
48 THE NEW BARKER “As soon as I got my first gym membership, I
immersed myself in fitness and nutrition research,” said Mariah. “They’re the keys to longevity, health, and a happy life. You only have one body. The foods you choose to fuel yourself with make a difference in every single system in your body.” As Chris watched Mariah talk, he added,
“Mariah is a very determined person. Whatever she does, she puts her all into it. I have always admired her work ethics.” During the 2016 Rose Bowl, Chris recorded a
career-high 187 yards on nine catches and scored two touchdowns against USC. The couple put col- lege on hold as Chris declared for the 2017 NFL Draft. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the draft. They immediately made the Tampa Bay Area
home, and have had fun discovering the parks, restaurants and dog-friendly venues. “Tampa has a good
vibe...the feel of a big city combined with suburban living. There’s always something to do,” said Mariah. They both expressed amazement at the
number of unique restaurants across the Bay Area, and have made a list of 50 to 60 places to try. “Chris and I are huge foodies. We’re making our way through the list, but it continues to grow,” said Mariah. Their favorite date night is going out to dinner, enjoying delicious food and each other’s company. When Chris is on the road, though, Mariah is
a homebody. “With Ziggy and Ghost, I don’t feel lonely while Chris is traveling,” she said. Knowing that Mariah and the dogs are
waiting for him, no matter where he is, makes being away from home a little easier for Chris to handle. “Those first moments, after I get home, seeing Mariah and having the dogs all excited to see
me...it’s really one of my favorite moments,” said Chris. “Whenever I’m away, I can’t wait to get home to be with them." In fact, their favorite thing to do with the dogs
may surprise some, but dog lovers will get it. “Honestly, we enjoy just watching movies with
the dogs because they both love attention and cuddling,” said Mariah. “It’s literally like having two small humans.”
www.TheNewBarker.com
Chris, Mariah and their dogs Ghost and Ziggy in front of Tampa Theatre.
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