Darien Allen (11, HSU) and Devin Allen (11, HSU) have spent their entire lives side by side–both on the field and in the classroom. Their shared experiences in sports and academics have forged an unbreakable bond, but it’s their athletic prowess that sets them apart. From the football field to the wrestling mat, the twins’ success is built on their unwavering support for each other creating a dynamic that few can match.
The Allen twins started their athletic journey together playing football at just four years old. Since then, they’ve always played together, being a part of the same team and sharing the same experiences. Their connections extend beyond football, though, where they also excel in basketball, baseball, track and wrestling. For the Allens, playing together is non-negotiable.
“We’ve played together our whole lives,” Devin said.
“Every team before, even a school team, we always were on the same team,” Darien adds.
Their bond is built on competition, with each twin pushing the other to excel. Darien reflects on how their motivation comes from feeding off each other’s energy. He says his competitive spirit drives them to new heights, both while at practice and during matches and games.
“If I see my brother doing something and he’s excelling in a sport, I just feel like it just motivates me even more to do better than him. Or we just push each other to do the best we can in any sport,” Darien said.
The twins have faced challenges in their athletic careers, but have always leaned on each other to overcome them. During their freshman year, wrestling presented a unique challenge. Both brothers wrestled in the same weight class, but rather than having the situation create any friction between them, they used their twin bond to solve the issue.With a simple game of rock-paper-scissors, the brothers further showed their ability to navigate obstacles with cooperation and mutual respect.
As twins, they are constantly compared, whether it’s about sports, academics or even social interactions. Both acknowledge the daily pressure of living up to each other’s success, but they take the comparisons in stride, using them as motivation to push harder.
“First thing they ask, do we play sports? Second thing, it’s probably who’s better, who pulls the most girls, who has the better grades? People, when they ask us stuff, they probably try to make it a competition,” Darien said.
“It is a little bit of pressure, but I like it because I feel like it makes me try a little harder,” Devin said.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of their relationship is their unwavering support for one another, particularly during tough times. Darien speaks fondly of last football season when Devin was outperforming him.
“He was getting more reps than me, and he was doing more on the field. But he really just helped me get through it. He really helped me with my mindset and getting on the field and stuff like that,” Darien said.
While the twins are laser-focused on their athletic careers, as proven by the success they have already achieved, they understand the importance of balancing sports with academics. Darien explains that while sports are a passion, academics comes first.
“At the end of the day, if that doesn’t work out it will be a risk, but if that doesn’t work out, I have to have good enough grades, [a] good enough college, everything for me to get to live after high school,” Darien said.
As they continue their athletic careers at Manual, the Allen twins remain a powerful force on and off the field, embodying the strength that comes from a unique twin bond. Whether it’s on the football field, the wrestling mat or in the classroom, Darien and Devin are living proof that together, they can achieve anything.
