877-632-9123When Shaquil Barrett arrived at Boys Town from Baltimore in 2008, he had already scaled down his dreams and his path to success was anything but guaranteed. Yet through college setbacks, difficult decisions, and moments of uncertainty, the skills he learned while at Boys Town ultimately helped him persevere.
During a talk to Boys Town athletes, Shaq reminded them just how powerful belief and support can be.
“Once I got to Boys Town, that’s when my eyes were really opened to being able to dream again. Sometimes we allow our reality to shape us into more of an adult, but we need to still be kids and still be dreamers at heart, because that’s what we need to be able to succeed.
Even if you don’t reach your dream, I am 100% sure that as long as you work hard, you are going to land someplace positive. You’re going to be better off … so much better off than if you’d quit chasing that dream.”
After graduating from Boys Town, Barrett followed his older brother Kevin, also a Boys Town alum, to the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Balancing football and classes in college was difficult.
“It’s challenging to try to be a good student all on your own. But if you lean into the Boys Town program and start working on your accountability, start working on everything that we learned with the six pillars of character, that will set you up for success in the real world.”
When UNO discontinued its football program after Barrett’s freshman year, it was time for difficult decisions.
“That would have never happened (going to Colorado State) if I hadn’t had to be an adult and make an adult decision. I had to leave my brother, I couldn’t be with him anymore, and I wasn’t ready for that. I loved being at UNO because Boys Town was right down the street. My family teachers were there… I just loved being in their house. They are good people and I could lean on them and trust them. But it was time to be an adult.”
Scan the QR code below to watch the jersey retirement ceremony.
