S. Carolina area director: ‘I feel so blessed’


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Jessica Boulware walked outside her home in Columbia, S.C., to survey the area. The pond had overflowed. The dock was totally submerged. Her car was partially submerged. Her driveway looked like a creek. Water ran under the house.

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Jessica and Michael Boulware’s home in Columbia, S.C., after the historic storm.

“I feel so blessed,” said Boulware, Central South Carolina Area Director for National Scouting Report.

It could have been so much worse for Jessica; her husband, Michael, a native of Columbia; and their four young children.

Four consecutive days of heavy rain – including a record 16.6 inches on Sunday – resulted in the worst flooding in the state capital’s history.

At last count, 17 South Carolinians had died from the flooding. More than 900 residents were forced into shelters. Tens of thousands were without power and water. More than 500 roads and bridges were shut down, including an 80-mile stretch of I-95. The National Guard was called in. A midnight to 6 a.m. curfew was implemented.

Columbia hasn’t seen anything like this in 1,000 years.

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NSR Central South Carolina area director Jessica Boulware

“This was a historic event,” Jessica said. “All of this [damage] was done by rain. We have a little damage, but others have lost so much.”

The Boulwares have not left their home much since the flooding began as a result of an upper-level low aided by tropical moisture in the atmosphere cause by Hurricane Joaquin. Although the skies have cleared, the aftermath of the storm hasn’t.

“They’re asking everybody to stay off the roads unless you have to drive,” Jessica said. “We can drive in and around our house, but not much further.”

Public schools have been closed all week. Most of the private schools have been, too. Cardinal Newman High School, a Catholic school where Michael is employed as strength and conditioning coach, is housing the National Guard.

Life has come to a halt for Columbia’s workforce, most of which can’t commute to their jobs. It has been quite an adjustment for the Boulwares, who are normally very active.

Jessica, a former two-time All-America softball pitcher/outfielder at Florida State University, is the pitching coach for the Puerto Rico national team; head softball coach at Cardinal Newman High School; and an assistant coach for her daughter’s softball team.

Michael, a former NFL safety for the Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings and younger brother of former NFL linebacker Pete Boulware, is an assistant football coach at Cardinal Newman and head coach of his son’s youth football team.

Jessica met Michael at Florida State, where he was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference linebacker after an outstanding high school career at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, where he was selected South Carolina’s 2000 Gatorade Player of the Year.

Since the flooding began, Jessica has tried to keep busy by giving private pitching lessons in a facility attached to her garage.

“I haven’t been able to do any scouting,” said Jessica, who joined NSR in August. “All of the games have been canceled. Nobody is going out to ball fields. I don’t know when they’ll be able to play again.”

However, she’s not about to complain.

“For us, personally, it wasn’t so bad,” she said. “It could have been so much worse. We’re in a good place.”


National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.

If you are ready to take your recruiting to the next level, click the Get Scouted button below to be evaluated by an NSR College Scout.

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