EH31 2,524 Report Share Posted February 24, 2007 Powell to play for Yellow Jackets By TOM BONE Bluefield Daily Telegraph BLUEFIELD  Football has given J.T. Powell a foot into the door of West Virginia State University, but the Bluefield High School senior said Friday it was as important that the institution has a program in his chosen field, criminal justice. With a signing ceremony in the BHS media center, the three-year letter-winner ended his college search and talked about the positives of his selection of the Kanawha Valley school. “I wanted to come to a school that had a good athletic program and a good academic program, and West Virginia State has one of the top teachers in criminal justice. I knew that.†He also cited the “winning attitude†under football coach Earl Monroe, who ended his initial season 5-6 last fall. “The best is yet to come,†Powell said. “I’ve seen the recruits they’ve had in, and the new coaching staff, and I could see it turning around. “They’ve got most of their players back. I think they’re ready to go.†At tailback, Powell was the Beavers’ leading rusher last fall with 881 yards, a 7.7-yard average per play. He caught 121 balls for 210 yards, and scored nine touchdowns all told. The team made it to the Class AA playoffs each of the last four years. The speedy Powell was a senior leader at defensive back. In his junior year, he started the season as Bluefield’s quarterback. That year he was limited by a knee injury, though. After all his statistics and experience, collegiate offers were nowhere to be found, other than suggestions from Division I programs that he could enroll as a “walk-on.†During the season, Powell said, “I was really playing my heart out to try to get an offer. Really, my first couple of offers came in the last two weeks.†Powell’s father Jerome said that he was relieved when his son made his commitment, because the high school student was “stressed†by the big decision. J.T. Powell’s cousin William Jackson, a Mount View High School graduate, plays defensive end for the Yellow Jackets. That had some effect on the BHS senior, too. “He talked to me every day,†Powell said. “But he never really forced me to come there. It was always, ‘Make the best choice for you.’ †“But he always said, ‘You’d be better off coming here, because if you go to one of those other schools, you’re going to get punished (when going up against West Virginia State).’ †Powell said that Jackson joked that he would do some of that “punishment.†Now the two will be teammates. With a smile, Powell said, “My cousin told (his coach), ‘Hey, WVU didn’t give him an offer. You’d better give him a call.’ And soon the calls started flooding in.†The new recruit, a self-described “natural safety,†thinks he’s walking in to a good situation. “They lost both their safeties due to graduation last year,†he said. “That’s the only school that really offered me to play safety. Every other school was looking to me as a corner.†The choice of a major was obviously well thought out. Powell’s father Jerome is the chief juvenile probation officer in McDowell County. The BHS senior said, in addition, “I like ‘CSI,’ and I know there’s a lot of jobs in that field. I know it’s not all like ‘CSI,’ but I’ve been around it a little bit.†Powell’s mother Sharon said, “The most important thing was that education would be top on the priority list, and that he would get the opportunity to play his heart out, in what he’s dreamed of, his love, which is football. “He lives and he breathes football,†she said. The Powells have other connections with West Virginia State. Sharon Powell’s brother and some uncles are alumni, as is McDowell County Circuit Judge Booker Stephens, for whom Jerome Powell works. Jerome Powell had simple advice for his son. “I told him, ‘I don’t care where you go, truthfully. I don’t even care if you play sports. I just want you to go somewhere and get a good education.’ I’ve always been that way.†Jerome Powell said his son’s interest in basketball drew attention in his preteen years. “He was a basketball player. In McDowell County, they thought he was going to be the future star to come up there to the high school. They were waiting on him. ... “But then he got here to Bluefield and started playing for Coach (Fred) Simon, (and) he lost his interest in basketball.†Simon, who graduated from Bluefield High and played football at Concord College (now University), said, “To me, football is a great way to continue your academics in college. It helped me tremendously. (And) playing on the Division II level, you get to play. ... “It’s something I’ve never forgotten.†After Powell was injured, Simon waited for medical approval to put him back on the field, and was said the student showed he was “mentally tough†despite pain from the tear in the meniscus tissue in his left knee. “A lot of it was on him. He was courageous in that effort, wanting to get back and help us out.†The football coach added, “I think if J.T. focuses on grades and work habit, I think he’ll definitely play at West Virginia State, and have a very good career.† Contact Tom Bone at tbone@bdtonline.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefieldRocks 14 Report Share Posted February 24, 2007 Yea, i ment to mention that yesterday I saw him signing his contract or whatever, then after that i went over and congratulated him.... Very nice guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MavsRock 21 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I wish him well, definetly someone who'll be missed in Bluefield this fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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