Young and healthy, Chris Hooks had many opportunities during his high school years as a standout athlete at Tokay High School in Lodi. A wide receiver and running back, he had aspirations of moving away and playing college football after graduation. Although raised in a Christian home and very active in his church, he chose to run around with a pretty rough crowd. He had one foot in his church life, and the other in a local gang. After graduation he enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College and was excited to play football. Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep his grades up and his dream soon fell apart, and so did his life. He dropped out of school and returned to his old stomping grounds and the gang in Stockton.