Monday, December 20, 2010
Delivering Pizza for the Dream Wisconsin's J.J. Watt
By Jerry Barca
J.J. Watt walked away from a football scholarship and delivered pizza to reach his dream.
Watt, an All-American junior defensive end for the University of Wisconsin, is ready to lead the fourth-ranked Badgers into a Rose Bowl tilt with undefeated and third-ranked Texas Christian University on Jan. 1.
I dont know if anyone couldve predicted that this is how it could go, Watt said. Its been an unbelievable ride. I feel like I should ask myself, When am I going to wake up?
Powered by the personal mantra Dream Big, Work Hard, Watt leads the Badgers defense on the field. Off the field, he leads the team in community service hours. For him, football weekend rituals include Friday trips to visit patients at the American Family Childrens Hospital.
With a blond buzz cut and sometimes bloodied bridge of his nose, the 6-6, 292-pounder would fit nicely next to 1960s Packers greats Forrest Gregg and Jerry Kramer in one of those old black and white photos.
What you see is what you get, said Judy Keefe, who taught Watt in elementary school and trades emails with him every few weeks.
In fourth grade, Watt told his teacher, You know Miss Keefe, Im going to be a Badger.
But it when it came time for college, Wisconsin wasnt interested. He did get a full scholarship to attend Central Michigan University. As a freshman, he started at tight end for a Chippewas team that won its conference and went to the 2007 Motor City Bowl.
After the bowl game, Watt went home to Pewaukee, Wis. He never went back to Central Michigan. He didnt think playing tight end in a spread offense would propel him to the NFL. You go to college to set yourself up for a job and I needed to set myself up for an NFL job, he said.
He wanted to play for the Badgers. When he called, Wisconsin still wasnt interested. He was told he could walk-on, no scholarship.
It was almost all or nothing, Watt said.
Before enrolling at Wisconsin that summer, Watt took classes at a local college and worked as a Pizza Hut deliveryman.
Youre J.J. Watt, said a stunned 12-year-old when the pride of Pewaukee showed up at the door holding dinner. What are you doing delivering our pizza? Mom, whats J.J. Watt doing delivering our pizza?
I dreaded that a moment like that would happen. All I could do is say I have your pizza, Watt said.
The moment stayed with Watt as he prepared to try out at Wisconsin, working out for two-and-a-half hours a day, five days a week. It powered my work ethic, he said.
When he first arrived on campus in Madison, Watt played on the scout team, mimicking Wisconsin opponents each day in practice. He did it so well he earned a scholarship at the end of the semester.
This season, Watt garnered second-team All-American honors from numerous media outlets including the Associated Press and Sports Illustrated.
Earlier this month, he won the Lott Trophy, an honor given to college footballs defensive impact player of the year. It is an award that recognizes athletic performance and personal character equally.
I could spend two hours a day playing video games like most college kids or I could spend that time impacting someones life, Watt said.
Watt also has an impact online where he has cultivated a Twitter following of more than 5,000 tweeters, including University of Wisconsin Chancellor Biddy Martin. The pair tweet back and forth and Martin, like most of Watts followers, has taken on his Dream Big, Work Hard motto.
The university even used DBWH in a tweet to wish students good luck on their final exams this semester. It has become a greeting on campus. Watt will be walking on the street and instead of saying hi, someone will open with Dream big, and Watt will finish it with Work hard.
Its everything I stand for and everything I believe will create a successful person, Watt said of the phrase he is making a trend.
His mom, a vice president of a building inspection company, and his dad, a fire lieutenant with the Waukesha department, are always acknowledged by Watt for his success. They gave us a good home, a good life and the awareness that not everyone else was as fortunate, Watt said.
While Watt was growing up kitchen table staples were four meals a day and newspaper ads with volunteer opportunities. Watt, his parents and his two younger brothers volunteered as a family shoveling snow and raking leaves.
These are people with disabilities or who couldnt physically do it. Somebody had to do it and were well off, he said. You cant live your whole life getting all the good things, you have to give back as well.
Connie Watt, J.J.s mother, said it is amazing to sit back and witness her sons achievements.
We were not the cool parents, his mother said. We were always strict. But we never worried about our kids making bad choices.
She remembers J.J. going out on a Saturday night in high school and then coming home 20 minutes later because he said his friends were making bad choices and he didnt want to be around them.
Now, her son tells her about times when he is watching game film at Camp Randall Stadium. If he sees a young Badgers fan on the field, he makes sure to go say hello.
Hell tell me, Mom that was me, Connie Watt said. Hes still close enough to the little boy that he was, and he pays it forward.
Last week, the final paperwork was filed to establish the Justin J. Watt Foundation, which will provide funding for after school athletic programs in Wisconsin.
I learned so much from athletics determination, perseverance, willpower. I want to make sure other kids have the same opportunity, J.J. Watt said.
Wisconsin school kids become star struck when Watt enters their classroom. Last month, he made his once-a-semester visit to Miss Keefes class in Pewaukee.
Sitting in the front of the class in a ski jacket and sweater, Watt talked to the children about setting goals, having a strong work ethic. He stressed being kind to everyone.
Watt told them about his routine of getting up at 6 a.m. and not returning home until 11 p.m. after classes, practice and studying. He told them about the importance of making good choices and that sometimes a good choice might not be popular with their friends, but being popular didnt matter.
After he left Keefes class the children got into writing groups. One girl was sassing a boy about his writing, Keefe said.
Then another student spoke up. Hey guys, dont you remember what J.J. just told us about being nice to each other? The sassing stopped.
Keefe, a 36-year teaching veteran, has been in front of plenty of students, but none has been quite like the fourth grader who kept his word to be a Badger.
I wish all of them would be J.J. Watt, she said.
