Navy’s Xavier McDonald Nominated for Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award

DALLAS (FWAA) — Navy’s Xavier McDonald is this week’s nominee for the 2023 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. McDonald, a senior, has overcome a challenging upbringing in St. Petersburg, Fla., to earn a Service Academy appointment.

McDonald took care of four younger siblings while growing up, after both of his parents were incarcerated simultaneously.

“Midway through my freshman year, my parents got into trouble with the law. They had bad situations that led to them being incarcerated and separated from me and my brothers,” McDonald said. “I had to grow up really early and really fast. I had to learn how to take care of myself and my brothers, too. My parents weren’t around, so I had to try to fill their shoes.

“It basically developed me into the person I am now — very mature, very caring. I think about my brothers and others before myself.”

McDonald and one brother, Kamron, were placed in one foster home, while siblings Jacob, Joshua and Micah were with a different family.

McDonald worked at a grocery store to help support his siblings, while posting a 3.5 GPA. When Xavier and Kamron were placed in a different foster home, Northeast High coach Jeremy Frioud drove Xavier to school each morning. McDonald moved in with the Compton family when he as a junior. The family’s son, Luke, was a freshman on the football team.

When McDonald now returns home to St. Petersburg, he spends time with two families: the Comptons and his biological parents. He sees his mother, Bonnie Martinez, and his four younger siblings, and he sees his father, Clarence McDonald Jr., at church, as both are members of the City on a Hill congregation.

A 5-foot-11, 207-pound striker, McDonald has played in 25 games for Navy, tallying 26 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one pass defended. He recorded a sack and registered a quarterback hurry last Thursday in the Midshipmen’s tight loss at Memphis.