I Am More Than An Athlete

I Am More Than An Athlete

What does this saying mean and what does it imply?

Two years ago, oddly enough on my birthday LeBron James gave a break down on his ‘More Than An Athlete’ mission.

Even before watching this video, I understand where he is coming from. A big part of it is because I am black.

Uninterrupted goes further than sports in itself. Don’t get caught up in the notion where you think that sports players should just do their sport and be quiet about issues going on around them.

Uninterrupted from what I see and hear from them is that we want to be heard. We want a seat at the table.

When we have issues in our communities, we want a way to voice those complaints.

But people say they’re rich they don’t have the right to speak on these issues.

Pause…

Did you forget that LeBron came from Akron, Ohio. Growing up around crime, in a tough area, with a single mother. They had to grind for they have.

I live in the south suburbs of Chicago, I’m not from the hood but I know people that are. My family also grew up in the city. I have towns by me that if I drive fifteen minutes from where I live, the lifestyles change.

Dwayne Wade grew up in Robins and that is a tough city as well. Close to Robins is a town called Harvey.

So, before you speak on issues you know nothing about, learn about the people who are speaking.

And what are you doing to give back? If all you are doing is complaining and sitting on your butt playing 2k and Madden, do us all a favor and shut up!

When you’re so focused on what happens on the court or the field, you are blind to see what they are doing on their time off.

Many athletes do and did what LeBron did. I’m going to talk about him because he is the center of this article.

Through his foundation along with Akron Public Schools, the I Promise School was created. What is the I Promise School?

“The I PROMISE School, and Akron Public School dedicated to those students who are already falling behind and in danger of falling through the cracks.”

Falling through the cracks, what does that imply? That means that the student might not be on the reading level, might be held back, might be discouraged, and so forth.

For me, school was not easy. I had to grind for my grades. For a lot of my years, I had to take speech classes in school. I wasn’t embarrassed by that but I was when other classmates would make fun of my stutter. I was embarrassed when my GPA was not as high as others.

What got me through was of course my family. Also, it was the support system I had. The teachers and coaches I had taking time to pour into me. Mrs. McCloud my last speech teacher was More Than A Speech Teacher. All my years of high school she was my teacher and she ended up coming to my church. She became family.

So, like Athletes like a LeBron, Wade, Rose; we are more than meets the eye. I’m a teacher today because of all those who paved the way.

I am more than my skin color, I’m a king, I’m a leader, I’m a brother.

So, when you say shut up and dribble, you are stripping away someone’s freedom. There is a child at the I Promise School, at the after-school programs, at youth group at your church that is looking up to you as a leader. Are you going to box yourself in or are you going to be more than what you are for the sake of those youth and all those you are leading?

When wake up in the morning scream this in front of the mirror; I AM MORE THAN ENOUGH! I AM A LEADER; I AM A TRENDSETTER!