-Compiled and edited by Shawn Nowlin
Who is Jerelle Carter?
I am a very hard-working, dependable, outgoing and personable individual. I would say I’m someone who really loves working with kids and volunteers a lot in the community to help others.
Where were you born and raised? What was your upbringing like?
I was born and raised in Axton, Va., on a hog and tobacco farm. Much of my childhood was spent raising hogs and pulling tobacco when I wasn’t at school, in church or playing sports. We grew all of our fruits, vegetables, green beans, corn, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, watermelon and cantaloupe.
There were apple trees, pears, cherries, plums, and grape vines all around the farm. You name it, we grew it. My father, Theodore Carter, was the hardest worker I knew. He would work 12-hour shifts, come home in the morning and tend to the farm before going to sleep. Even with that reality, he always made time to coach me and my brother in youth sports.
My mother, Norma Carter, made sure we were in church every Wednesday and Sunday. She also made sure I knew how to wash, iron and sew my own clothes, among other life skills. Although I did a lot of manual labor, I was domesticated as well.
I grew up learning the value of hard work. If I brought home anything lower than a B, I wasn’t allowed to play sports.
After high school, what was the next chapter of your life?
At Tunstall High, I was an honor student who lettered in football, basketball and track & field. From there, I went on to play football at Appalachian State University in the fall of 2000. I majored in Health Promotion and Business, ultimately graduating in 2004.
Perhaps my biggest accomplishment was being able to do all of that while raising two kids. I was blessed to have my first two children, Keyanna and Xavier, in college.
While interning at the Health & Wellness Center for faculty and staff, I was able to find my life’s calling. I really enjoyed coaching fitness classes and being able to help those around me reach their goals.
What is your official title, and what do your responsibilities consist of?
I am a partner at Performance 276. I teach fitness and wellness classes as well as train many athletes throughout the Roanoke Valley. I was able to open a CrossFit gym in 2014 with a few friends after being a health educator for almost a decade. Other than running the local health and wellness center, I coach football, indoor and outdoor track.
How important is family to you?
Family is everything! I am married to my beautiful wife Heather Carter, and we have six wonderful kids – Keyanna, Xavier, Sasha, Ethan, Jerelle Jr, and Trevon, and one granddaughter, Alani. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with them.
I love history, so knowing my family’s history and where it all started is very important to me. I am a descendant of slaves. The first freed slave in my family was Abraham Carter in 1863. He and three of his brothers were able to purchase 160 acres of land between two slave plantations. That’s how the “Carter Homestead” was built.
Generations of Carters grew up in Pittsylvania County, Va. I grew up on that land at my grandparents’ house. Many family reunions were held on that land that we still own till this day and will be the new home of Echo Valley Micro Resort in 2026.
If you were building the ultimate music playlist for a six-hour road trip, which artists would be on it?
Growing up in the 90’s, I was heavily influenced by the new wave of hip hop. So my playlist would include Tupac, Biggie, DMX, Nas, Jadakiss, T.I. and Lil Wayne.
What are some of your favorite City of Roanoke memories?
As an adult, I would have to say taking my kids to the circus and the monster truck rallies when they were younger.
What are some of your hobbies?
Because of the strong work ethic my father passed down to me, I don’t get much sleep at all, so my favorite hobby would be sleeping. Other than that, I would say spending time with my family, fraternity brothers and volunteering with local youth in the community.
Which people have had the biggest impact on your life outside of family?
Mrs. Helen Howell, the Executive Director of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and Mr. Greg Preston, the Executive Director of Piedmont Community Services in Martinsville, immediately come to mind. Both have been incredible mentors to me.
I worked closely with Mrs. Howell through NSBE for years, coaching the local step team and chaperoning kids on conference trips all over the country. My frat brother, Greg, taught me how to be a selfless individual. Together, we have mentored many young men in our program for over 15 years.
If you could go back and give your younger self some advice, what would it be?
My father always told me that, “Nothing in this world is free; if you want something, you have to be willing to go work for it.”
Those words have taken me far in life, but I think I would tell my younger self, “The best math you can learn is how to calculate the future cost of your current decisions.”
Those two phrases together could have helped the younger me save a lot of money and wasted time over the years.
