Latest news with #BoyntonBeachHighSchool
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL Draft: Travis Hunter Jr. credited grandmother for his football start. Who is Shirley Hunter?
Shirley Hunter is one proud grandmother. The Boynton Beach, Florida, woman will attend an NFL Draft watch party in her hometown, along with friends, family and members of the Boynton Beach Bulldogs youth football program. The NFL Draft is April 24-26, 2025. Their No. 1 pick? Travis Hunter Jr., wide receiver for the Colorado Buffaloes and 2024 Heisman Trophy winner. In December 2024, Shirley Hunter traveled to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony to see her superstar grandson win the most coveted sports trophy in the U.S. She is the mother of Travis Hunter Sr., a high school football and track star when he graduated from Boynton Beach High School. Though Travis Hunter Sr. wasn't able to attend the Heisman Trophy ceremony in person, he was at a watch party to support his son. Part of Travis Hunter Jr.'s thank-you speech shined a light on his dad − and quicky went viral. In honor of the 2025 NFL Draft, here's information about the matriarch Shirley Hunter of Boynton Beach, Florida, her son Travis Hunter Sr. and football star grandson, Travis Hunter Jr. Shirley Hunter of Boynton Beach, Florida, is the mother of eight children, including son Travis Hunter Sr., and grandmother of Travis Hunter Jr., wide receiver of the Colorado Buffaloes football team and winner of the 2024 Heisman Trophy. The Hunter family is full of athletes − including Shirley Hunter. In the early 1970s, Shirley Hunter was a sprinter at Atlantic High School. She had eight children − five boys and three girls − and all were extraordinary athletes. The five boys played football and three ran track, including Travis Hunter Sr. (see photo gallery with this story). Two of her daughters ran track, and the other was a gymnast. Shirley Hunter told the Palm Beach Post in a Dec. 6, 2024, story that "football was my thing. What was different for me was I was a girl so I couldn't play football during those times." While at Atlantic High School, she became the 1975 state champion in the 200 meters. Travis Hunter Sr. eventually made a name for himself at Lantana Middle School and then at Boynton Beach High School as a track and football standout. Travis Hunter Jr. was just 5 years old when Shirley Hunter, known as Miss B — "because I'm always busy," she told the Palm Beach Post — was watching him throw a football during his days with the Boynton Beach Bulldogs in Florida. Suddenly, he was tossing spirals with his left hand. Travis Hunter Jr. is a righty. "I told his coach, 'You know he throws with both hands,'" she said. He didn't believe her. According to Shirley Hunter, Travis Hunter Sr. and his son, Travis Hunter Jr., played receiver and defensive back, but Travis Hunter Sr. also returned kicks. Welcome to the club! Travis Hunter Jr. joins Lamar Jackson as Palm Beach County, Florida, Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter Sr. was a football and track star for Boynton Beach High School in the early 2000s. As a 15-year-old freshman, Travis Hunter Sr. was clocked electronically in the 100-meter sprint at 10.82 seconds. In 2004, he set the Boynton Beach High School record in the 4x100-meter relay (41.63s) with Odiles Jeune, Jodson Noel and Cameron Rolle. The record stands to this day despite near-misses by relay teams featuring future Heisman Trophy winner and unanimous NFL MVP Lamar Jackson in 2014 and 2015. Travis Hunter Sr.'s football exploits made use of his impressive speed on offense, defense and special teams, even when the Boynton Beach Tigers weren't the most competitive team. In 2004, Travis Hunter Sr. scored an 82-yard kick return and a 46-yard pick-six against Martin County to help Boynton Beach snap a 14-game losing streak. Travis Hunter Sr., a 2005 Boynton Beach High graduate, had his own ambitions of playing college football. He told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in 2008 that he planned to join a JUCO roster in Kansas upon high school graduation, but held off due to his children. Travis Hunter Sr. was 17 1/2 years old when Travis Hunter Jr. was born, which derailed his ambition to play college sports. Instead, he played for the semi-pro Southeast Florida Reapers along with several family members, including three brothers. While playing for the Florida Football Alliance and Southern States Football League, Travis Hunter Sr. won Offensive Rookie of the Year for the SSFL in 2007. Travis Hunter Sr. would often attend his son's games at Jackson State University, where he played for one year before following his coach, Deion Sanders, to the University of Colorado. Travis Hunter Jr. was raised in Boynton Beach, Florida, before moving to Suwanee, Georgia, with his mom where he attended Collins Hill High School and was the No. 1 recruit in the nation in 2022. He had committed to Florida State University, but then flipped to Jackson State University. He's not only the best two-way college football player in the country, he's among the best in the country at both positions: receiver and cornerback. He's projected to be among the top players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. Travis Hunter Jr. speaks fondly of both his grandmothers, and once credited Miss B for getting him into football. "She has always been there, too," he said during an interview with DawgNation when he was being recruited by Georgia. "She's the one who got me started playing football. Signed me up my first day and never looked back.' Travis Jr. later made a verbal commitment to Florida State University but flipped on signing day, joining Deion Sanders at Jackson State University. Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@ This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: NFL Draft, Colorado's Travis Hunter Jr.: Football runs in the family
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Photos of Travis Hunter Sr. of Florida, father of Heisman Trophy winner, Colorado Buffaloes star
Like father like son? When Travis Hunter Jr. was awarded the coveted 2024 Heisman Trophy, that earned him a spot in football history. The Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver spent his childhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, before moving to Suwanee, Georgia, to attend Collins Hill High School. He graduated in the class of 2022. Football and athletics played a large role in his young adult life — much like his dad, Travis Hunter Sr., who lives in Boynton Beach, Florida. After high school football, Travis Hunter Jr. later played for coach Deion Sanders at Jackson State University before moving with him to the University of Colorado in 2023. That was where Travis Hunter Jr. became a Colorado Buffaloes' two-way star. Next up is the NFL. But before that, here's a look back at his father, the man for whom Travis Hunter Jr. is named. Travis Hunter Sr. was a football and track star for Boynton Beach High School in the early 2000s. As a 15-year-old freshman, Travis Hunter Sr. was clocked electronically in the 100-meter sprint at 10.82 seconds. In 2004, he set the Boynton Beach High School record in the 4x100-meter relay (41.63s) with Odiles Jeune, Jodson Noel and Cameron Rolle. The record stands to this day despite near-misses by relay teams featuring future Heisman Trophy winner and unanimous NFL MVP Lamar Jackson in 2014 and 2015. Travis Hunter Sr.'s football exploits made use of his impressive speed on offense, defense and special teams, even when the Boynton Beach Tigers weren't the most competitive team. In 2004, Travis Hunter Sr. scored an 82-yard kick return and a 46-yard pick-six against Martin County to help Boynton Beach snap a 14-game losing streak. Travis Hunter Sr., a 2005 Boynton Beach High graduate, had his own ambitions of playing college football. He told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in 2008 that he planned to join a JUCO roster in Kansas upon high school graduation, but held off due to his children. Travis Hunter Sr. eventually played semipro football in the Florida Football Alliance and Southern States Football League, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year for the latter in 2007. Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 2025 NFL Draft: Like his son, Travis Hunter Sr. played high school football
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Black History Month: Boynton community gets closer look at roots of food, music and art
BOYNTON BEACH — India Ambré Perkins, known in Rhythm and Blues / Jazz circles as Ambré, said she's been focusing a lot on the roots of her voice and message. Nominated for multiple Grammy awards, the 28-year-old artist from New Orleans said performing in Sunday's Black History Month celebration "Say It Loud" in Boynton Beach gave her the opportunity and stage to do just that. 'I didn't know I had that many fans in Florida; this is my first time performing in Florida,' Ambré said of the 200-plus people in attendance at the Boynton Beach Arts and Culture Center, which hosted the event. 'I've been really pondering what my message is and what I have to say that's deeper than what everybody else is saying,' said Ambré, who has released three full-length projects and is currently signed to Roc Nation. She first gained fame after collaborating with Kehlani on a cover of Drake's Preach album. The event at the two-floor center featured various installations from local artists, interactive displays and live music. The Louisiana native who once lived in Kissimmee said her culture has deeply influenced her sound, with jazz roots pulled from her upbringing in New Orleans and her time in the marching band playing trombone. 'My sound, at least now, I'm leaning more into my roots when it comes to jazz and funk music … I'm trying to get back into that world, blending a lot of stuff,' she said. Creative writer, spoken word artist and actor Bertrand Boyd also spoke to the crowd. Boyd, who appeared in the 2019 film 'Queen and Slim,' called it 'an honor' to perform for Black History Month and described the event as 'more than he expected.' The renovated Arts and Cultural Center was the former grounds of Boynton Beach High School and it hopes to turn its newly renovated space into a place where the local community can gather and experience the arts — whether that's dance, song or artwork. 'We want to bring the community together through good music and through good artistry,' said Kelly Armstead, Boynton Beach's arts and culture director, regarding the event in partnership with Florida Variety (FLAVAR CO). ''Say It Loud' is an evening filled with unique visual artworks and live music, honoring our past and celebrating our future.' Food trucks served up various dishes from the Caribbean diaspora, including plates of Jamaican Cuisine and Haitian street food outside the center. Inside were vendors selling jewelry, drinks and custom grills. Also on display was art from Jess Kirby, Tracy Guiteau, and contemporary artist Harold Caudio, whose series 'MORE THAN AN ARTIST' uses vibrant colors and eclectic mediums to 'pay tribute to iconic Black figures, capturing the richness, resilience, and beauty' of Black culture, according to a post from center's Instagram. Boynton Beach's Stephanie Alyrical Gowdy, known as 'Alyrical,' a legally blind artist who uses her hyper-realism portraits as a medium to express unspoken emotion, also was on hand. 'I usually paint things that are hard to vocalize, emotions that are very hard to vocalize. I'm not good at vocalizing my own, so I just put it in my art,' she said in a panel discussion hosted by the center. 'I use a lot of African-American women as references, so I kind of combine culture with art.' The inspirations of the displayed art were told to the crowd with a theme of collaboration emphasized. RELATED: Finding Black history in Palm Beach County is daunting, but rewarding RELATED: West Palm Mayor: Still-shuttered Sunset Lounge good to go this summer Painting live in the halls of the center, Alyrical's talent stretched beyond the canvas, reaching the eyes of viewers whose identities inspired her work. 'I lost my vision in 2012 … a lot of people think it completely disabled me,' she continued. 'Instead of perishing, I use my inner vision to create.' Native to Opa-Locka, Haitian artist Tracy Guiteau said she uses the paintbrush as a means to tell stories, incorporating hidden words into her paintings. 'When it comes to the art business, there's no blueprint for that. I'm just a regular Opa-locka girl. I want [other artists] them to be able to see that it can happen with consistency, with passion, with determination,' she told the panel. Heard past the main stage and into the halls were the sounds of various DJs, playing songs from Beyonce to Michael Jackson. After their time on the dance floor, guests could grab a drink sponsored by cognac house Rémy Martin. The Cotton Room, exclusive to guests with a VIP ticket, featured a set from DJ Dani Fortune, spun on vinyl. On the walls were portraits of renowned Black musicians, such as Prince, Diana Ross and Grace Jones. Paralleling The Cotton Room was an immersive display reminiscent of the traditional barber shop, a space integral to Black culture and conversation. Guests could take pictures in the shop seats while viewing old copies of Ebony Magazine. In a mural-style painting on the wall were the words 'Say It Loud' written in red paint. Beside them, a painting of various Black hairstyles, reminiscent of a barber shop catalog. 'Guests can step back in time and reminisce on the days of visiting the barber shop or beauty salon… surrounded by good conversations, reading the Ebony and/or Essence magazine and just being present in the moment,' Armstead said. Sign up for our Post on Boynton Beach weekly newsletter, delivered every Thursday! This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boynton Beach 'Say It Loud' Black History Month event draws big crowd
