Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett meets with campers at Boys and Girls Club
Kenny Pickett wanted to know everyone’s name.
When Pitt’s quarterback visited the Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania in Lawrenceville on Monday, he handed out T-shirts, emblazoned with his KP8 logo, but he didn’t hide behind the shirts.
He asked every camper their name and even played catch with some of them.
But that was only part of his day. Monday was a day off from practice on the field, but he returned to the facility later in the afternoon to meet with coaches.
The location of Monday’s opportunity was selected specifically because Pickett spent much of his youth in a Boys and Girls Club in New Jersey.
“Kenny wanted to do something to reach back and support something he was a part of growing up,” said Scott Koskoski, a Boys and Girls Club vice president. “It’s a great opportunity to connect our youth with his mission. Kenny is an example of what the term student-athlete means. Sports, yes, but it’s also in the context of being a good person with great character, not forgetting where you came from. It’s not just talking about being a good community partner, but it’s also doing something about it.”
Pickett is taking advantage of his name, image and likeness opportunities, creating partnerships with the Oaklander Hotel, Boys and Girls Club, PGT Trucking, Ithen USA (a clothing company), Bowser Automotive (you might see him behind the wheel of a big truck), 93.7 FM and panther-lair.com. In addition, proceeds from the sale of the shirts will be funneled back to the club.
Pickett, who is in graduate school, said he’s doing his best to ensure none of his NIL opportunities interfere with football.
“I’m not handling too much of the leg work,” he said. “I just have to make sure I’m there on time. The goal is not to overdo it and make sure I stay focused.”
Monday is also the day he shares his largesse with Pitt’s offensive linemen when they have dinner at the Spirits and Tales restaurant inside the Oaklander on Bigelow Boulevard.
“It’s extra bonding time with the guys that protect you,” Pickett said. “They do a lot of the dirty work and don’t get a lot of credit for it.”
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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