Helping Out
It’s 8:30 a.m., Wednesday morning and a group of University of Miami football players grab their uniforms and walk onto the bus. Their destination isn’t Hard Rock Stadium, and they will not have to answer questions from media members about a touchdown they scored, or the outcome of a game.
Instead, these student-athletes will stand in front of a crowd of elementary school students from Tucker Elementary School, answering jarring questions about life. The football team’s trip to Tucker Elementary School served as one of four community outreach visits the Hurricanes have taken part in this spring.
“I got asked what my favorite cereal was [chuckles]. That was my favorite question,” senior offensive lineman Nick Linder said. “I told them Reese’s Puffs, but Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a close second.”
Linder’s fellow classmate, kicker Michael Badgley also recalled what he thought was the most memorable question of the day.
“A lot of kids asked us what our majors were, and I only said that was interesting because I didn’t even know what a major was when I was 10 or 11,” Badgley said. “It may have been the teachers telling them to ask that, but it is kind of cool hearing those kids ask, what are you studying in college?”
In the weeks leading up to Wednesday, letters were exchanged back and forth between the members of the Hurricanes football team and the elementary students at Frances S. Tucker.
“Having the players here today, academically it is a positive thing for our boys and girls. They have been writing back and forth; they have been perfecting their writing skills. And for them to actually meet and put a face to the paper, that to them is what they have been waiting for,” Principal Annette Degoti said. “So as a principal, it gives me a great honor, to have role models such as the UM football players who not only excel in the classroom but also in sports. And then they come here, meet our boys and girls and give them a reason, a reason to keep fighting and to succeed.”
Since his arrival on the UM campus in 2015, head coach Mark Richt has placed a strong emphasis on community engagement and giving back to the South Florida area.
In a recent ranking from the NCAA Team Works Helper Helper Community Service Competition, the Canes placed first in the nation amongst FBS schools, and were the highest amongst Atlantic Coast Conference institutions.
“I think that just represents what kind of guys we really are. Just being No. 1 in community service throughout the entire ACC is something to be proud of,” Badgley said. “Coach Richt takes a lot of pride in us giving back and it is one of the main things of being successful. Not only knowing how to handle success but also to give back to what you think and know is right.”
Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Scott Patchan added, “Just blessing kids. The way Coach Richt explains it to us, and that’s honestly what it is. I am just thankful. I want to do more, I wish I could do more, but with our schedules it is kind of hard too. But it just goes to show how much we really do care.”
After spending an hour answering questions and discussing how important it is to continue to work hard in both the classroom and on the field, the students and players rushed to the playground.
On one end, a three-point competition was underway between members of the offensive line and a group of boys and girls, while on the other end, a kickball game had begun.
In between a pair of palm trees stood a boy who had found his inner Tim Howard, a goalkeeper on the United States national soccer team, rejecting shot after shot from fellow classmates and sophomore quarterback Evan Shirreffs. Then on a grassy patch alongside the basketball courts, football players were trying to keep up with a group of girls showing off their skills with a jump rope.
Not only was this a time for the elementary students to have the time of their lives, but the players were also enjoying the time away from their everyday grind in the weight room and on the practice field.
“I think it is huge,” Linder said. “We try giving them a little advice in terms of working hard and staying in school. But I think it was just good for these kids to come out here and have fun. When we have opportunities like this to come out here and play basketball, play soccer, play football and all that kind of stuff with these kids, it really brightens our day to see the amount of joy they get out of it.”
In addition to giving back to the community, a couple of players reminisced on their own childhoods, knowing they never had collegiate student-athletes or professionals visit their classrooms, but they wish they had.
“We never had any players come and talk to us,” Badgley said. “So getting a chance to show these kids some cool stuff is an opportunity I am grateful for. For instance, if Rutgers kids came to our school it would have been awesome, but it was too far. Just being right here, near this elementary school, it is fun to be able to talk to these kids.”
After an hour spent outdoors, the whistle blew and all of the boys and girls lined up with their teachers. A group photo was taken before final goodbyes were exchanged, but the memories that had been created that morning, were memories these kids can carry with them for the rest of their lives.
“I think that they saw dreams come true,” Degoti said. “Dreams were created today. They are reaching out for that impossible star now because it is possible, they saw it here today.”
