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He also seemed destined to play in the NFL.

“Growing up in Maryland, I had a pretty normal childhood,” says Wake, whose parents both worked for the federal government.

“The weekdays were filled with books, school, and education, [but] my sister and I were into sports, so there was always a game or practice on the weekends.”

Although his fondest memories center on visiting Wild World Amusement Park (now Six Flags), Wake says, “I was also a Washington Bullets fan and went to see them play a few times at the Capital Centre. I thought that I would follow that path. I played basketball pretty much throughout my childhood.”

Along with basketball, Wake played soccer and baseball for the Beltsville Boys and Girls Club. While a student at Buck Lodge Middle School in Beltsville, he played basketball for St. Mark’s. Wake went onto DeMatha Catholic High School, where he played basketball during his freshman, sophomore, and junior years.

Although he really didn’t start to play football until his junior year at DeMatha, Wake got the hang of it quickly. He won several awards, the Washington Post named him Defensive Player of the Year, and he was selected All-Metro and Most Valuable Player by the Stadium Club.

“It blew my mind,” he says. “After not playing football my entire life, I was getting all these honors.”

Wake ultimately received a football scholarship to Penn State, where he played well enough to be signed as a free agent by the New York Giants. Unfortunately, he was cut before training camp.

After that, Wake took a job as a mortgage broker in Elkridge, Maryland, a nine-to-five position he didn’t like.

“I decided that I wasn’t going to sit back and allow this to eat at me,” he recalls. “I was going to do something about it.”

He got a job at the Bally Fitness Center in Greenbelt, but soon heard that the Canadian Football League’s British Columbia Lions were looking for a defensive end.

“I got an opportunity and I went for it,” says Wake.

It was a wise decision.

Things clicked for Wake in Canada. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2007 and Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008. He was also named to the CFL All-Star team and Western Division All-Star team in 2007 and 2008.

After the 2008 season, Wake’s contract with the BC Lions was up, and he signed with the Miami Dolphins, where he continues to play outside linebacker today.

Since that time, the former Marylander has been selected for the AFC Pro Bowl team and to the Sporting News All-Pro Team and AP’s Second All-Pro Team. In 2011, his peers voted him the 63rd player in the NFL Top 100.

Follow Cameron Wake on Twitter at @kold91.