Gameday Feature- Justis Nelson Following In His Family's Footsteps

There are moments in life that transpire just as they should. In his particular journey, Justis Nelson refers to that phenomenon as the evolution of his calling. It's an unshakable sense of conviction, commitment and a drive that finds its genesis within his very name. Yet in July, as the Mesquite, Texas, native returned to his Lubbock home, that very foundation could have been tested. And perhaps it was.

But in the midst of evil, his resolve only strengthened.

So he watched from 300 miles away, as a gunman terrorized the city of Dallas that mid-summer night, killing five officers from the very department his mother faithfully served for more than three decades. It was chilling. But the Texas Tech defensive back, with the instincts of a servant, clung to his deeply rooted desire to find light amidst the dark.

That night, covered in chaos and terror, he never lost sight of his purpose. Justice.

30023

"It fueled my fire," he said. "It was definitely an eye opener to the things that need to be changed in the world."

Justis is part of a lineage of public servants. His mother, Sherryl Scott, served 32 years in the Dallas Police Department. She retired as deputy sheriff after a remarkable career covering nearly every rank in the force – including the distinction of becoming the very first African-American female lieutenant in Dallas Police Department history. Meanwhile, his father, Marshall Nelson, served as assistant police chief in Shreveport.

So that night, he watched the scene unfold through a different lens. It was another act of hate. Another injustice. Yet it was also another opportunity to step in and serve in a role of good amongst evil.

That was where he wanted to be.

"The only way I know to influence people or [make] change, is by being the change," he said.

He called his mother that night. On the call, Justis asked about Dallas police chief and family friend David Brown and reinforced his desire to be a positive influence in society. Despite the deliberate active deadly attacks on police officers in his hometown.

Now, the duty to serve was ingrained in his very being.

Sherryl's first memories of police work came from her childhood in Mount Holly, N.J. She was one of five siblings, and Mount Holly Police Chief Eugene Stafford, a close family friend, frequently looked after her and her brothers and sisters. He also took them see the police station for visits. It was on those visits that Sherryl's own calling took root.

Her childhood dream became reality in 1982 when she joined the Dallas Police Department. She rose through the ranks quickly, becoming sergeant after just three-and-a-half years. And in much the same way she fell in love with the job, she often brought her son Justis to community meetings and city council meetings after school.

"I was always around it," Justis said.

However, it took some time for his passion to develop. Justis originally sought out to study kinesiology as a freshman at Texas Tech. He had ambitious to become a physical therapist. Yet, during that first year on the Texas Tech campus, he felt an inward pull towards public service and policing.

"It just hit me," Justis said. "It was nothing that my parents pressed on me…It just caught my interest and within a few years I discovered I am very passionate about law enforcement."

While studying at Tech, police officers made headlines across the country in a flurry of controversial encounters and shootings. Justis watched closely, as the nation grew increasingly divided in its sentiment towards officers. He also envisioned just how he could impact that simmering social issue for the greater good.

"Just being a positive influence on people," he said. "And having the privilege to impact someone's life in a positive way when there are in the worst part of their life. I want to be that positive influence. That is what I am seeking."

Today, Justis is on his way to being that change and carrying on the legacy of public service set in motion by his parents. He graduated with a degree in sociology in May and is now completing his graduate degree in public administration.

Meanwhile, Justis continues to make an impact on the football field as a returning starter on the Red Raider defense. He was named a team captain before the 2016 season and enters Saturday's game against Texas leading the team with nine pass breakups and ranks fourth with 31 tackles.

28618

"Football has taught me a lot about communication and being able to lead," Justis said. "You definitely have to lead by example. Being on a team with people that have different backgrounds, you have to get to know people individually and find out how you can help them be the best player or the best person that they can be."

Once his career on the South Plains concludes, there is little doubt what the next chapter of his journey will entail.

"I'm extremely motivated," he says. "There isn't a day that goes by where I don't talk about being a police officer. I think it is a calling…I feel like that is my calling. It's something I am passionate about and I am going to pursue it. That's how I feel like I can make my contribution to this world."

So as she reflects upon his journey thus far, Sherryl isn't necessarily surprised at the success her son has seen. It's an instinct she saw in him as a child. The way he always sought out to help people. To protect, and follow his curiosity.

Today, she's simply overjoyed to witness Justis live out the family's legacy, and perhaps most of all, his own name.

"My hope is that he treats everyone with respect," she said. "And that he follows his heart."

Texas Tech University Athletics

Gameday Feature- Justis Nelson Following In His Family's Footsteps

Related News

Players Mentioned

Justis Nelson

Related Videos