Former NFL players inspire children to go for their dreams

TAMPA, Fla. - When your NFL career is done and you've hung up your helmet, what's the next play? Some players are going back to where they started - schools and gyms - to coach the next generation, not just on the field, but in life.

Most kids only dream of tossing around the football with NFL players. On Friday, a group of Tampa students did it on their home turf.

The library was the locker room at Sulphur Springs Community School as kids were coached by former Buccaneers Jerry Bell, Jimmy DuBose, and Maurice Stovall, as well as current Assistant Defensive Line Coach Lori Locust.

"I always loved football so I played it whenever I could when I was a little kid," Locust told the students.

They tackled topics from fitness to academics.

"Ask your parents how many of them exercise, and if they do, why do they exercise?" Bell asked while encouraging kids to reach their daily step goals.

"If you want to play college football you have to do well in high school, meaning you have to have good at what?" asked Stovall.

"Grades," the kids answered.

"You have to have good grades," Stovall said.

They also talked about setting goals and keeping them.

"When you start something, you don't give up," DuBose said. 'And when you do something, you do your best."

This was one of four stops during the first NFL Players Week through the Tampa Metropolitan Area YCMA's Food, Fit & Fun program. Stovall, who recently joined the Y as program director, wants to use his NFL connections to mentor kids on a different level - their level.

"There are so many negative things that can influence them so why not your position and your platform to get them to do the right thing?" Stovall said.

Kids learned the fundamentals of defensive stances, handoffs, and then, took it outside to toss around the football.

"The hard work, the ethic of staying true to yourself, listening to your parents, being respectful, it sounds so simple, but if you have that type of foundation and you have the people around you to support it, the sky's the limit," Locust said.

Stovall, Vice President of the NFL Players Association Tampa Chapter, hopes to build upon this event, recruiting more players to mentor local kids. Something as simple as a high five from a pro can make big goals feel a bit more reachable.

"It takes a community to raise children," Stovall said. "That's what we were here to do today."