Penn State Harrisburg senior forward/midfielder Justin Henderson enjoys being a charter member of "Club Wawa" and the "Stack's Comedy Club." But he has also had a successful and memorable career with the Lions men's soccer team, scoring 16 career goals (including 11 in 2012) and helping the Blue & White to a pair of second-place finishes in conference championship tournaments.
INTRODUCING … Justin "J.T." Henderson.
Briefly, what is your background in the sport you play? I've been playing soccer since I was three years old. I played in high school at Cherry Hill (N.J.) East, where we won the 2010 Olympic Conference championship. I'm now completing my fourth season playing at Penn State Harrisburg, where we finished second in our conference championship tournament the two years prior to joining the Capital Athletic Conference.
What is your major in college, and what is the most important thing you learned in that discipline? I am a Communications Major, and the most important thing I have learned is that you need to have confidence and common sense. They are vital in the field, whether it is interacting with people on a regular basis or at work.
What is your favorite spot on campus? My favorite spot on campus is Stack's Restaurant because the soccer team has a table where we all chill before and after classes. There is always something new at the table, whether it's stories or kids just being funny. Entertainment is always presented at the table.
Outside of your home and campus, where is your favorite place visit? My favorite place to visit is back home. It's what we simply call "Club Wawa" in my town. I believe first off its better then Sheetz, and also it is my favorite place because it has all the things I need: basically great food!
Other than your team, what organization (s) do you participate in (on campus or off campus)? I am a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., SAAC, SGA, Photo Club and I'm a coach for the Hershey Soccer Club.
Briefly describe the most memorable experience during your collegiate athletic career. My most memorable experience during my collegiate career was playing in the SUNY IT semifinal playoff game my junior year. Every year, they were the team that stopped us from winning our conference and it was always a close game. I remember that morning heading to school getting on the bus and our Coach (Seamus Donnelly) had quotes taped up on all the windows of the bus pretty much telling us we can do it. We trained that week like it was the NCAA championship game. It was an experience for our last year in the NEAC to beat the team that always stopped us in the playoffs.
Other than your family members, who was the most influential person in your life? Other than my family members, the most influential people in my life are my Collingswood Church of Christ family. They always make sure I am doing the right thing or always checking up on me because they care about me deeply. There are so many people that it makes it hard to name just one but they all have taught me lessons and helped mold me into the person I am today!
What is the most important societal issue facing college students? The most important thing I think college students face is tuition because it simply gets higher and higher for students who want to go to college and make something of themselves. It hurts to hear stories of students wanting to go to college but the school's tuition stops them from achieving what they want the most.
If you could change any one item in the world (in your personal life, school, community, amateur or professional sports, national/international issue, etc.), what would it be, why, and how would you do it? I would change racism by a wide margin. It is a sad thing when negativity comes out of the mouth of athletes in general. It is an unnecessary thing to use words of hate or discrimination to hurt someone else. It all starts from the professional athletes because everyone else looks up to them and wants to be like them. I personally believe that the education on this subject should be more of a focal point and reinforced in sports as well.
What is your favorite form of entertainment? My favorite form of entertainment is watching movies. They always make me laugh and I love quoting from movies like Wedding Crashers and Step Brothers. Watching more serious films motivate me to either work harder or train better as well.
If you could give one piece of advice to elementary school children, what would that advice be? The advice I would give them is to stay active outside, especially playing sports or games outdoors. It is much more important to be healthy growing up than it is to beat the latest level of a video game.
Outside of the CAC, who or what is your favorite sports person or team? My favorite team is the Duke University's Men's Basketball Team. They have the best coach, the best players and by far the best fans. Other schools try to emulate them as much as possible. I love Duke basketball because it is a family and I think any player wants to be on a team where they can call each other brothers on and off the court.
Name three (3) people, real or fictional, living or dead, that you'd like to have dinner with? I would love to have dinner with LeBron James because he is one of the best athletes in the world. I would love to hear from him and get pointers on how to become a better athlete. The next person I would like to have dinner with is Ray Lewis. When he speaks, everyone listens and everything he says comes from the heart. He is the most passionate athlete I have ever seen. He is a true inspiration and just listening to his words of wisdom would mean a lot. The last person I would have dinner with is Captain America. He is my favorite superhero. It would be cool to get advice from someone who I admire. It would also be cool to see maybe at the end of the dinner if he asked me to be his sidekick or something!