One of the bright spots of the Strawberry Crest Chargers’ offense is freshman running back Jaquell “Boosie” Narine, who recently showed the fans at Armwood High School some flash in the May 18 Spring Jamboree. Earlier in the school year, Narine was called up to the Chargers’ varsity roster after the junior varsity football season ended and showed flashes of potential for the future.
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You looked pretty good out there at the jamboree game. How were you feeling going into it?
We felt really confident about the team, our offensive series and stuff. We were a little prepared, but I guess we underestimated them (Tampa Bay Tech Titans) a little.
You got some playing time later in this past season, getting called up to varsity. What was that experience like for you?
It was a good experience for me. As a freshman, I felt like it was just a lot of weight on me, but I pushed through it. I think I did good last year.
What’s the most important thing you learned from actually getting out there and playing varsity football, as opposed to being on JV and hearing about it week after week?
You can’t quit. You can’t quit. You’ve always got to push yourself harder and do better than what you think you are. And keep your grades up.
What would you say your strengths as a running back are?
I like to run hard. I think I really run hard. I don’t like to fall down when someone grabs me. I just keep my legs driving.
Is there anybody you try to model your game after?
I try to model after Mike Alstott. That’s one of my favorite running backs from the NFL.
How did you first get into playing football? How long ago was that?
I started playing little league at 11 years old in Tampa, with the Tampa Hurricanes, and I was played at linebacker and a little bit of fullback. I worked my way up to running back.
Now that you’re settled in at running back, do you prefer it to any other position? Or is there something else you would love to play if you got the chance?
As well as running back, I would like to play defense at linebacker, preferably middle linebacker.
What’s your favorite position that you’ve ever played out there?
Middle linebacker. For me, playing linebacker for so long, I know how the running back works, when to hit the hole and where the linebacker’s going to be when it’s time for me to hit the hole.
When you got to Crest and they put you at running back, was that something you volunteered to do or did it just work out when they put you there?
It’s a team thing. If the team needs me at a certain position, I’d be willing to take that for the team.
What’s the coolest thing you’ve done on a football field?
Just playing football. I love football.
Who’s your favorite athlete of all time in any sport?
My favorite athlete of all time would be Earl Campbell. I’ve done a lot of research on him.
So you love those old power backs that eat up tacklers.
I like a lot of old-school power backs, running backs. Bo Jackson, Earl Campbell, Mike Alstott, Jim Brown.
The vibe I’m getting here is that you really just like to lay your shoulder into somebody and blow them up out there rather than try to dance around them.
Yeah, I’m not the fastest guy in the world. I’m pretty sure they weren’t, either. I just run hard, see the hole, hit it. If someone’s there, drop a shoulder.