Today we’d like to introduce you to Breylan Thompson, Texas’ Trailblazing High School Senior.
A name you’ll soon hear across the nation. Breylan, a high school senior at Bellaire Episcopal in Texas, is making history in the academic and athletic spheres. Ranked among the top defensive players in Texas private school football, Breylan garnered 25 Division I football offers by the end of his junior year. But if you think being captain of the football team is what makes Breylan a standout, you’d be mistaken. With his 4.0 GPA, Breylan is one of a few athletes with the academic chops to earn football offers to all eight Ivy League schools. He is also a four-year varsity basketball player, a member of several national honor societies, and was elected student body President by his peers. In June, he verbally committed to attend Yale University.
Breylan’s committment to achievement and to service is evident in everything he does, which extends beyond the field and the classroom. Breylan also found ways to serve his community and to explore his interest in public service. Breylan and his football team partnered with Challenge Sports to introduce football and the comraderie it engenders to a group of children with special needs. He also spent the summer as an intern for Judge Tyra McCollum, observing juvenile, criminal, and probate cases and learning how the justice systems impacts the lives of everyday people.
Breylan’s star is on the rise, having just helped his Episcopal Knights clinch the SPC Championship at TDECU stadium on November 4th. He’s been featured on KPRC 2 Houston, the nationally televised Sisaundra Show, and several sports podcasts.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nothing worth having has ever come easy. As I came into high school, all my mind was really set on was sports, I did well in class, but I sort of limited myself to only being an athlete my freshman year. After being told on numerous occasions I should branch out, that’s exactly what I did. My sophomore year I committed myself to being more than just an athlete, and with that I had to work out somethings with time management, but once I figured it out, I quickly was able to see the fruits of my labor. There was improvement in the classroom, as well as the field, and I was able to get more involved in my school community as well. So honestly, the biggest obstacle I had to overcome, was myself, I had to stop limiting myself in order to reach my true potential, and that is exactly what I did.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m currently a senior in high school at Bellaire Episcopal, where I serve as student body president, captain of the football team, and a member of National Honor Society. I’m currently committed to playing football at Yale University next fall, which I chose over 24 other universities that offered me, including the other 7 Ivy League schools. Something I believe that sets me apart from other people, especially people my age, is my mindset. I understand that I can’t play football forever, and that has played a big role in my decision to go to Yale. I feel as if a lot of people, specifically my age, make decisions for the “now”, which isn’t always beneficial. I know that getting a degree from a place like Yale is something that will last forever, and something I’ll benefit from for the rest of my life. I believe another thing that sets me apart is my work ethic, something I’ve gotten from my parents, watching my dad be in the military, and my mom work through law school, embedded a hard work ethic in me early on. I’ve also been blessed to have two Forbes’ featured brothers who’ve been with my every step of the way with advice. I think their respective mindsets have rubbed off on me, and I hope to be a successful as them one day. You know what they say, “you are who you surround yourself with”, and I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by some amazing people.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
A great book that I’ve recently read is The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. I really enjoyed it because it talks about the force of resistance that often times prevents people from reaching their full potential. It then talks about how to overcome this resistance. It’s a quick read, and very insightful as well. I highly recommend
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/breylanthompson?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Twitter: https://x.com/breylant2?s=21
- Other: IG @breylanthompson
