Jesse Salters Update

[thebouncer1898]

Not sure if this has been posted yet...

TAMPA - It's exam week at Blake High and Jesse Salters, the school's assistant principal of administration, is just walking into his office. His secretary drops a stack of papers on his desk and the look on his face suggests his plate is beginning to overflow, but he accepts with a gentle smile.

As he shuffles through papers, a photo, hidden between a wall and a large bookcase, catches the eye. It's Salters, soaring through the air in a white basketball jersey with green and gold trimming.

"Yeah, that's me," he said humbly.

The young man in the photo, seen dunking a basketball, went on to score 1,177 points in three seasons at the University of South Florida. But those days aren't what the former 6-foot-7 forward, now pushing 40, cherishes. The day a former student-athlete, who was on the brink of failing his senior year, returned to Blake to thank him for pushing him to succeed, is one of his finest memories. The dozens of youths he counseled as a student intervention specialist at Sligh Middle School are dear to him.

Nowadays, Salters, who is married with two daughters, is motivated by the thought of influencing young people, just as teachers influenced him 20 years ago when he was a star basketball player at Chamberlain High. Most importantly, he wants to be a father figure to those in need of one, just as he needed a father figure growing up in a single-parent household.

"My teachers growing up, especially teachers from Chamberlain High School, they were big supporters and helped me in my progress," he said. "Once I was done playing, I moved on to the next phase of my life. I wanted to help kids reach their goals."

Salters was promoted to athletic director at Blake before the school year. Prior to the position, he worked for two years as the school's assistant principal of student affairs. With his basketball resume, which includes seven years of pro ball in Europe, Salters could have easily entered the realm of coaching, at a number of levels. But Salters, who graduated from Chamberlain in 1990 as one of the greatest high school players from Tampa with 2,222 career points, had other plans.

"Coaching is a small part of what it takes for students to achieve," he said.

He said his athletic past allows him to gain students' respect.

"A lot of kids look up my stats and find out that I played and had my jersey retired at Chamberlain, so they know what I'm talking about," he said. "They want to listen. They come to me when they have an issue because they know I'm fair."

Salters likes to think he has a way with kids. Others agree.

"He did whatever it took to help kids," said Sligh Middle School principal Barbara Fillhart. "He was a great role model for kids. Even though he was tall guy, he wasn't unapproachable. He was very approachable. He could definitely connect with kids."

Former Chamberlain boys basketball coach Doug Aplin said Salters was more than just a talented basketball player. In 1994, Salters was named USF's Most Outstanding Senior of the Year. The award was given to a graduating senior who best exemplified a USF student.

"He's always been kind and generous," Aplin said. "Jesse Salters was a fine young man when I got him and that's because of how he was raised by his mother, and if I added anything to that, then great. I was fortunate to have a guy like him. I'm sure some day he'll be principal."

At Blake, the kids have nicknamed Salters "Shaft" (because of his bald head) and "Joe Clark," referring to actor Morgan Freeman's character in the urban drama "Lean on Me," based on the true story of a principal who turns around a decaying school.

Salters doesn't mind the references.

"Most kids don't get discipline at home," he said. "When (students) aren't doing what they're supposed to, I get on them. They say I'm mean, but they all gravitate toward me. And they all come back and say thank you."

Reporter Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 259-7851.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/19/sp-making-a-big-impact/sports/

[Apis Bull]

Nice story, thanks for posting it.

[thebouncer1898]

It makes me feel old reading it....I remember going to the games when I was a kid and he was my favorite player....

[usfbullcpa]

It makes me feel old reading it....I remember going to the games when I was a kid and he was my favorite player....

Thanks for making me feel old.  I remember watching him play after I graduated USF....

[Triple B]

And I believe he was a transfer here from FSU .... another one of thse "bums", as one of our less informed posters refered to them.  

[SRQ]

thanks for posting this.  he had some quality teammates as well

[The Sheriff]

Any relation to Alvin Salters who played football at USF?

[Bulls 8_va]

So he was part of those runs to the NCAA tourneys huh? 

Wow...and the SunBelt Championship. 

Man...its good to hear these stories!

Thanks Dan!

GO BULLS!!!

[beastiebull]

I believe his sister is Lisa Salters of ESPN.