TITANS COACH SPEAKS AT WILLIAM JEWELL

Herman Boone, the coach portrayed by Denzel Washington in the 2000 motion picture “Remember the Titans,” brought his message of the need for mutual respect and acceptance and the essential integrity of the human spirit to the William Jewell campus for an April 30 address in Gano Chapel. Boone’s advice to students rang out loud and clear: Stay in school, and fight all adversities.

“Commit yourself to a set of goals,” Boone told the crowd. “You must persevere and not be afraid to take the plunge. Let nothing get in your way. The only way to kick adversity is to kick it in the tail.”

Boone was the central figure in the hit film “Remember the Titans,” which was based on his 1971 experiences as the T.C. Williams High School football coach in Alexandria, Va. In an expanded and newly integrated school, Boone faced resistance from local residents and players. But his highly developed interpersonal skills helped to unite the community and the team, which went on to win the state championship that year with a 13-0 record.

Although the college experience can be a safe haven for students matriculating in a relatively egalitarian environment, Boone warned that they could expect to face discrimination based on a variety of external factors in the world at large.

“But always remember: It is not the color of the balloon that causes it to rise,” Boone said. “It is the quality of the air inside.”

Boone’s presentation was the culmination of a year of diversity initiatives promoted by William Jewell’s Student Senate.

“The message of the Titans is that diversity is not about black and white,” Boone said. “It is about who you are as an individual. The movie taught the world how you can embrace diversity. In this country, our rituals of separation are more developed than our rituals of togetherness. But like the Titans, we must find a way to talk with each other. We need to put aside our individual prejudices and concentrate on teamwork.”

Boone said that he believed leadership can be learned, and that leadership skills need to be taught, practiced and developed. He acknowledged his pride in the members of the Titan championship team, which consisted primarily of individuals who came from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“Of that original Titans team, 71 members went to College, and 69 of those finished,” Boone said. “They went to Duke and Yale, and they became lawyers, doctors and film directors.”

“They had a dream,” the retired football coach emphasized. “Do you?”