By Troy Vincent
NFL Player Engagement
Another successful NFL season has ended, and with New York/New Jersey as the Super Bowl stage, I was impressed with the number of players who hosted and/or participated in the nonstop events all over town and the region overall.
Which got me to thinking that with all of you now officially in the offseason, this could be a good time to begin building for your future after football.
That could mean beating the February/March deadlines to register for our Player Engagement programs coming up this offseason as you consider career paths. (Applications for Boot Camp: Sports Journalism & Communications, Boot Camp: Broadcasting, and Boot Camp: Advanced Broadcasting, and job shadows and internships are still open.)
Additionally, you can consider how to begin giving back to the community, which may be easier to do than you think.
In our recent Player Engagement story featuring former Jacksonville Jaguars All-Pro Donovin Darius, he discussed how he began his community service as a player that ultimately led to the impressive foundation he runs today (www.donovindariusfoundation.com).
“My second year in Jacksonville I started these free football camps for high school kids called ‘Sharpen Your Skills,’ and I would have about 20 Jaguars teammates participate, and for four years in a row I put on football practices in the inner city schools that were free and open to anyone, so it was a very diverse group,” the Syracuse graduate recalled. “I also solicited the support of local organizations, and we gave away gifts like computers and televisions for schools right up to braces from orthodontists.”
In addition, the All-Pro articulated his recognition that his NFL platform meant responsibility to the community, saying “I also did philanthropic work for local hospitals in raising money, because my daughters were born in this community.”
So as you can see, it’s not that hard to begin the process of giving back, especially with the help of your teammates, who in turn you can help as well when they get started with their community service.
And like Donovin, you never know where it will lead.
From his humble beginnings early in his career of holding the free camps for high school players with the help of his teammates, he now presides over a foundation that in 2013 staged seven events at the Jaguars’ EverBank Field, each of which drew hundreds of parents and children to benefit from both Donovin’s inspiration and the generosity of his sponsor partners.
Playing on an NFL team presents one of the greatest platforms possible from which to launch successful second acts, not only your next career, but just as importantly, giving back to the communities where you played, be it with your NFL team, your college team, or where you grew up.
And be sure to solicit the support of your teammates with whom you have bonded in your NFL locker room, a relationship like no other that creates a lifelong brotherhood brimming with mutual benefits.
The great work you did together on the field can lead to even greater good off the field to ensure your future is as gratifying as your present.
It’s a new year both on the monthly calendar and for your football calendar, so make February 2014 the moment you moved forward for your future.