FootballWhat was the highlight of your footballcareer?

ere were a lot of great games and biggames that we played, both with theUniversity of Southern California and herewith the Jaguars, but probably the overallhighlight was that I got to do what Idreamed about doing when I was a kid—that was playing in the NFL and makingfootball my job. It was a great opportunity,and I was blessed to do what I dreamedabout as a young man.

How did football impact your life as achild and as an adult?

As a kid, I just loved playing it. I playeda lot of different sports, so I loved beingactive, and I loved playing. e game offootball was no different. It was justsomething that was a lot of fun. As I gotolder, I think what the game taught mewas a good ethic as far as working hard andteamwork and how to persevere throughtough times. ere were a lot of good lifelessons that were taught by and throughthe game of football.

How has your life changed since retiringfrom football?

I’m probably busier now. During theseason, football’s very intense for a six- orseven-month period—very demandingphysically and mentally. e nice partabout working that hard for seven monthsis you have a nice off-season. ere’s nomore off-season.

To be able to do what you’re trulypassionate about, which was playingfootball, was a great blessing. I still have joyin what I do, and I’m passionate about

Tackles Football, Family and theBoselli Foundation

It’s nearly impossible to find a sports fan on the First Coast who doesn’t know Tony Boselli. eJaguar’s first-ever draft pick in 1995, Boselli quickly became a fan favorite by proving to be a fierceoffensive lineman and a genuinely “good guy.”Boselli was the first player inducted into the Pride of the Jaguars, and though injuries ended his career

early, he feels honored to have fulfilled the dreams of his 9-year-old self—to play professional football inthe NFL.

Now, with the help of his wife, Angi, Boselli is working to make the dreams of other children cometrue. His nonprofit organization, the Boselli Foundation, gives inner-city children in Jacksonville thetools and confidence to aim for the stars.

Family! caught up with Boselli to tackle some of life’s important topics: football, family and paying itforward.

Tony Boselli

By Laura Hampton

some of the things I do, but football wasdifferent. When it ends, you have to findthat new thing that’s going to get yougoing every day and get you excited.What is that now?

I don’t know if it’s any one thing. It’smy family. I have a great wife and five kids.It’s what we do with afterschool programsat the Boselli Foundation. We’ve got greatfriends. It’s my faith as a Christian. So, it’sa lot of different things.

FamilyWith five children your life must be hectic.How do you manage?

I have a great wife. She carries most ofthe load. I go to work and she goes to worktoo, but her work’s right in the home. Sheis an amazing mom and amazing wife. Isit chaotic? Sure. Is there a lot of energy andlife, and are there a lot of things going on?Absolutely. But, I don’t think either mywife or I would want it any other way.How do you balance family life, businessand the work you do for charity?

I don’t know if I always do a great jobwith it. Communication is probably themost important thing—communicatingwith my wife and making sure we’re on thesame page in what we’re trying toaccomplish and how our relationship’sgoing and how the kids are doing. Makingsure that is going well allows me toschedule everything else and work on theother things that need to be done.What is the greatest joy of being a parent?

Watching them grow and become theyoung men and women that God createdthem to be. Seeing them succeed—and justlife with them—whether it’s going to afootball game or cheer competition orbeing together for a family vacation or justhanging out at home or eating a familydinner and sitting around the table tellingstories—just being a part of their lives.What are the challenges?

As a couple, our goal is to make sureour kids know who Jesus Christ is and tryto help them cultivate their own personalrelationship with him. ey’re ultimatelygoing to make a decision whether they’regoing to follow him or not, which will goa long way in determining their valuesystem and how they want to live. at’sprobably the most important thing. en,helping them make right choices and learn

how to deal with peer pressure and whatto do when you make a bad choice andhow to overcome that. ose are challengeswe all have, and I think when they’re yourkids you want to make sure they navigatethat the best possible way.How does your family celebrate theholidays? Do you have a favorite familyholiday ritual?

Holidays are a big deal in our house,first, because we have five kids, and second,my wife loves them. With my work in theNFL, I travel on anksgiving, so if we doanksgiving dinner it’s usually the dayafter or the day before. Probably thebiggest one is Christmas. We go to churchon Christmas Eve and then go to a bigdinner afterward. en we come home andhang out as a family, and the kids usuallyget to open one present that night andeveryone goes to bed. Whatever family’s intown comes over the next day, and we havea nice breakfast and sit around and openpresents. en mom and dad sleep the restof the day, because we’re exhausted, and thekids go play with their stuff.What words of wisdom can you offerparents on the First Coast?

It’s all about relationships to me. I’lljust say, for us, the most important thingfor me and my wife to be effective parentsis No. 1 our individual relationship withJesus Christ. No. 2 is to make sure we havea great relationship as a couple, becausethat will add the most security and stabilityto our kids. No. 3 is to cultivate our ownrelationships with our kids by loving them,caring for them and disciplining themwhen they need discipline. No. 4 is being agreat example of individuals that they canlook at, not just listen to, and see how welive our lives.

The Boselli FoundationHow did the Boselli Foundation get itsstart?

Our foundation started in 1995, whenwe moved to Jacksonville and I was undercontract with the Jaguars. We knew wewere going to do something with kids, and

40 | Family! HERITAGE PUBLISHING, INC. © 2012

Sahar Aboudan Pediatrics

904-260-3609

Same Day AppointmentsBirth to 18 Years

Asthma Treatment & PreventionADHD Diagnosis & Care

Preventive Well Care

Sahar Aboudan M.D. FAAP9905 Old Saint Augustine Rd., Ste.103

Jacksonville, FL 32257

for the first eight years, we just raisedmoney and gave it to different programs,scholarships, teachers, etc. en in 2002,when we left Jacksonville and went toHouston after my (football) career ended,we let the foundation go dormant.

When we came back in 2005, wedecided to get it started again. While I wasgone we were part of a church in Nashville,Tenn. A friend of mine there was doingafterschool programs like the ones we donow. ey had a great model, and when wemoved back to Jacksonville and saw a needhere, we decided it would be a goodprogram to replicate and to bring toJacksonville.And you’ve had some success?

We’ve had great success. We work withabout 95 kids every day, grades K-10.We’re a faith-based organization thatfocuses on character and education. Wehave seen the grades of the kids we workwith increase every year; we’ve seen thetesting scores go up; and we’ve seenmonumental behavior changes for thebetter.Why do you think the program has beensuccessful? Is it the one-on-one attention?

I think it’s giving the kids somewheresafe to go after school—a goodenvironment, where it’s set up for them tolearn. It’s spending the time and focusingon the areas that are a weakness andhelping them overcome any deficienciesthey have. And then, it’s also letting themknow that they can be great—that they cansucceed.

What do you hope to accomplish throughthe Boselli Foundation?

We want to work with as many kids aswe can and help them with theireducation, so they can graduate highschool and then have an opportunity tomake a decision whether they want to goto college, go to a vocational school or goget a job. We also want to help form andshape their character, so they can makegood healthy decisions and have a positiveimpact in the communities they’re a partof.What plans do you have for the foundation’sfuture?

All of our operation dollars are fundedby fundraising or gifts. We hope to growour revenue through fundraising, gifts andcorporate partnerships, so we can grow ourprograms and work with more kids.How can parents on the First Coast help?

ey can make a donation or sign upto be one of our partners either financiallyor by offering to volunteer at one of oursites. ey can volunteer to work with thekids and be a part of our afterschoolprograms, or they can volunteer at one ofour fundraising events.

For more information about volunteeropportunities, visit bosellifoundation.com.

Quick QuestionsWhere’s your favorite spot on theFirst Coast?Any golf courseWhat’s your favorite holiday movie? Elf

How’s the Jaguar’s O-Line doing thisyear?Inconsistent at this point

HERITAGE PUBLISHING, INC. © 2012 Family! | 41

Helping Women Through

Each Phase of Their Lives

• Comprehensive, Individualized Health Care.

• On Site Digital Mammography.

• Options for Urinary Leakage.

• In Office Treatments for Heavy Periods.

• Permanent Birth Control (Essure).

• Ultroid Hemorrhoid Management System.

• Bioidentical Hormonal Therapy.

2 Locations

Mandarin11945 San Jose Blvd., Building 400

Jacksonville, FL 32223Baptist South

14540 Old St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 2591Jacksonville, FL 32258

904.262.5333www.srbobgyn.com