By Dave Fairbank | dailypress.com
Dwight Hollier's first career was a passion. His current career is more akin to a crusade.
The Peninsula native and former NFL linebacker counsels players — past, present and future — on life beyond the field. He takes his own experiences and lessons he learned in becoming a licensed professional counselor and helps players fulfill their potential as they transition into and out of the game.
"I'm extremely blessed to be in the position that I'm in," said Hollier, a star at Kecoughtan High and North Carolina. "I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Assisting, whether it's current players, former players or potential players, I'm excited about the work that I do and the people I work with and the opportunity to assist guys, to help them be successful."
Hollier was at Christopher Newport last weekend, helping with the Hampton Roads Youth Foundation football camp run by fellow Hampton natives Carl Francis and Vernon Lee.
"Incredible human being," said Francis, the longtime communications director for the NFL Players Association. "He has never, ever wavered from being able to give back and teach kids that you can have life on the field and life off the field. Whether you make it to college or you make it to the pros, you can have success on and off the field."
Hollier works for the NFL as Director of Transition and Clinical Services in the Player Engagement department, a position he's held since Feb. 2013. He and former players Troy Vincent, LaVar Arrington and Donovin Darius are among a small team of counselors employed by the league.
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