STUDENT
ATHLETE FEATURE HELTON PROVIDES HELP, HOPE FOR THE FUTURE By JERRY KUTZ, RETIRED SR. VICE PRESIDENT SEMINOLE BOOSTERS & CURRENT OWNER, PUBLISHER OF THEOSCEOLA.COM Keyshawn Helton is a ‘Yes, sir. No, sir’ kind of kid. A diminutive 5-foot-9 and 171 pounds, the lightly-recruited Pensacola native is a fierce competitor who draws upon an inspiring work ethic and burning passion to have become a collegiate playmaker. What’s more, Helton is the kind of kid who leaves you feeling a little bit more hopeful about the future of Florida State football and the world we share. Helton was born into the Garnet and Gold. His mother, Petrina, attended FSU and earned her degree in Psychology. Her brother, Keyshawn’s uncle, also attended FSU. You may remember him, Derrick Brooks, a member of the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame. “Yes, sir, my mother’s brother,” Keyshawn says with understandable pride. It was a foregone conclusion Helton would sign a scholarship with FSU. The question was, would FSU offer? Keyshawn says his uncle never interfered. “Oh, no sir. The only thing he really told me in the recruiting process is to go where it fits me the best and to follow my heart. My story is kinda different. I had seven or eight offers, none of which was Power 5.” Florida State was the only Power 5 program to offer him a scholarship. “My family cried,” he said. “There was a feeling of excitement because they knew there were no other schools for me. This is the only school I wanted. It is the school for me.” Uncle Derrick heard about the offer on social media and called. “He congratulated me and told me it would be a process and to go in with my head down and work,” said Helton, who has become a versatile and dependable playmaker. “I don’t think there are words that could (express) what this scholarship means to me,” Helton said. “To the people who have
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