Bossip
Video
SZN
Opener
is
back
with
new
episodes
dropping
every
week.
On
Season
2
of
this
dynamic
podcast
series,
host
and
noted
sports
analyst
Monica
McNutt
showcases
Black
college
athletes
and
explores
their
triumphs,
challenges
and
aspirations
along
their
sports
journeys.
In
Episode
4,
Jackson
State
senior
Kendyl
Terrell
opens
up
about
grief
and
shares
the
highs
and
lows
that
led
her
to
the
women’s
soccer
program
at
Jackson
State.
The
Hattiesburg,
Mississippi
native
started
playing
soccer
at
a
young
age.
Her
dad,
Clemon
Terrell,
a
star
running
back
at
Southern
Miss
back
in
the
day,
paved
the
way
for
the
young
athlete.
“My
dad
definitely
gave
me
the
love
of
soccer,”
Terrell
says.
“He
gave
me
the
love
of
competition.”
Terrell
played
six
sports
in
high
school.
In
addition
to
soccer,
basketball,
volleyball,
track
and
softball,
Terrell
convinced
her
father
to
let
her
play
football—making
her
the
first
female
football
player
at
Hattiesburg
High
School.
“Not
only
did
I
want
to
make
a
name
for
myself,
but
I
wanted
to
build
something
for
other
little
girls,”
she
says.
Grief
shaped
the
woman
she
is
today
Grief
struck
Terrell,
her
family
and
the
Hattiesburg
community
when
her
father
tragically
passed
in
2017.
She
was
in
high
school
at
the
time.
Her
father’s
untimely
passing
was
incredibly
difficult
to
process
and
Terrell
grappled
with
grief
for
years.
But
she
found
her
way
in
the
end.
“It
was
a
crash
and
burn
for
me,
but
I
wouldn’t
change
it
for
the
world
because
it
matured
me
into
the
woman
I
am
today,”
she
tells
McNutt.
“I
loved
soccer
because
of
him,
but
I
had
to
realize
why
I
love
soccer
(for
me).”
Jackson
State
offered
a
safe
space
for
the
young
athlete
After
high
school,
Terrell
played
soccer
at
Jones
College
and
the
University
of
West
Florida
before
landing
at
Jackson
State.
Transferring
to
an
HBCU
(Historically
Black
Colleges
and
Universities)
was
a
game
changer
for
the
young
athlete.
“It
was
a
life
changing
experience,”
she
says.
“It
is
so
powerful
for
you
to
go
from
unseen
to
celebrated,”
McNutt
says.
The
soccer
standout
found
her
voice
at
Jackson
State,
helping
the
team
win
the
2022
SWAC
Conference
Championship.
“It
was
amazing.
One
of
the
best
experiences
of
my
life
was
winning
the
SWAC
championship,
because
I
get
to
do
it
with
my
people.
I
get
to
do
it
with
girls
that
look
just
like
me,”
Terrell
says.
This
year,
Terrell
was
named
SWAC
Offensive
Player
of
the
Year
and
All-SWAC
First
Team
Forward.
Terrell
wants
to
make
history
for
Black
girls
in
soccer
The
two-time
All-American
is
not
only
a
powerhouse
on
the
field,
she
aspires
to
achieve
something
greater
for
her
community.
“I
hope
history
keeps
being
made.
I
hope
I
can
continue
to
help
change
people’s
lives
and
change
the
way
people
look
at
Black
girls
in
soccer,”
she
says.
“Being
labeled
as
an
athletic
female
and
a
soccer
player
are
two
different
things
to
me.
People
should
give
us
the
respect
we
deserve.”
Catch
the
full
conversation
with
Kendyl
Terrell
above.
Listen
to
Episode
4
of
SZN
Opener
Season
2
on
the
Urban
One
podcasts
platform
or
your
favorite
streaming
app.
