For most people, working hard and accepting the opportunities that come is a perfectly respectable way to live.
But for some, it isn’t enough. A select number of individuals have the confidence and internal faith to go out, be proactive, and make a change for their future.
Yazoo County track star Jesse Henderson is one such individual.
On Monday, his work finally paid off when he accepted a scholarship from Mississippi State University to continue his track career.
Henderson, an already accomplished track star after his sophomore season, noticed that the offers weren’t flooding in, so he decided to do something about it.
Before his junior track season, when he won the state title, Henderson reached out to two colleges about the prospect of recruiting him: Hinds Community College and Mississippi State.
“I reached out to them because they hadn’t reached out to me,” Henderson said. “Everyone was telling me that I was supposed to have offers by my junior year, and that really wasn’t happening for me. I reached out to Mississippi State and Hinds Community College. Those were the only colleges I reached out to.”
Hinds Community College was his first plan, the most sensible route for him to earning a division I scholarship.
The first plan, however, didn’t exactly work out as he had planned.
“The reality is that I wanted to go to Hinds, but they never responded back to me,” Henderson. “To this day, I haven’t been in touch with anyone from Hinds.”
While Henderson was disheartened by the closing of the door, another much larger door opened down the road.
His pipe dream became his reality.
“Mississippi State wasn’t a reality to me,” Henderson said. “It was a pipe dream. I never thought I would commit to them because I never really thought it was an option. Even on my official visit I didn’t know they were going to offer me. It was this past weekend, and I just figured they were looking at me fore after JUCO, but it turns out they wanted me as soon as possible.”
On his recent official visit, Henderson was shown around campus by MSU head coach Steve Dudley.
At the conclusion of the trip, Dudley sat down with Henderson and gave him a life-changing gift: a scholarship offer.
“It didn’t hit me until it was said and done,” Henderson said. “He told me I could commit then or when I got home or a few days later. The offer was still going to be on the table. I waited until I got home and then called and committed the next day. I wanted to tell him then, but I was speechless. It was my dream school.”
While Dudley officially gave the offer, assistant coach Steve Silvey was the man leading the charge to make it happen.
“Steve Silvey is the one who made all of this possible,” Henderson said. “He’s the hurdling coach. He’s the one I reached out to before my junior track season. My first time to talk to Coach Dudley was on my official visit. I had never had any contact with him a day in my life before that.
Henderson’s dream has come true, and he’s achieved his goal.
There’s just one thing left for him to do at the high school level.
He wants to break the state record in the 110m hurdles.
With a personal high of 14.12 and a plethora of confidence, he’s well on his way to doing that.
“The next goal is to beat 13.95 this year, and that shouldn’t be too hard with the training I’m doing,” Henderson said. “I’m looking to break it in the first three meets, but even if it takes more than that, I will break it.”
With as much as he’s already accomplished, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt.
