Ex-NFL star and Sky Sports NFL analyst Cecil Martin stopped off in Billericay, Essex on 10th April, as part of a national tour to promote American Football at grass-roots level. Martin has been meeting American Football youth teams, coaching training sessions and meeting fans all in the name of promoting sport and a positive attitude among young people.
In the dimming dusk at Hannakin’s Farm, Cecil Martin was infinitely charismatic and friendly; personally introducing himself and shaking hands with every parent and helper on the sidelines, and taking group photographs for his Twitter page. The youngest child in attendance on Wednesday’s session was just nine years old, sporting a Miami Dolphins jersey; other children aged between ten and fifteen years of age were engaged in a rigorous 4-station hour of coaching that introduced them to drills relevant to a range of positions.
Dean Payne, 37, is a Spartans senior player now accompanied on the field by his two young sons; he spoke of his experience and love of the sport in the UK: “For the kids there’s nothing like it around here. I come all the way from Stansted to play. I think it’s just great.” His ten year old sons expressed a great excitement about following their father into pads and onto the field in years to come, ensuring a legacy for the Spartans already in place.
With effortless leadership, Cecil Martin circulated the pitch motivating and encouraging the young people with the lessons of his years of experience. Paying particular attention to the very youngest boys starting out on the field, he made instant role models of the older players and athletes of the very young.
Sitting later for a Q&A with the coaching staff, fans and players of all ages, Martin spoke of his humble beginnings and the obstacles he faced when trying to break into the sport: “People told me I wasn’t good enough to play football at the next level, that I wasn’t smart enough to make it to a college or university… my family didn’t have a whole lot and the message was sometimes, ‘You don’t have a lot, so you’re not going to achieve a lot.’ ” But achieve he did: Martin graduated with a degree from the University of Wisconsin, after being made Captain of their football team, earning a co-Most Valuable Player award and being drafted into the NFL to play for the Philadelphia Eagles upon completion of his education.
An exceptional mentor for young people, Martin spoke of how he values his education above all other accomplishments and gifts, and passionately demanded the same attitude of his young audience. A self-confessed ‘community activist at heart’, Martin has won awards for his commitment to serving communities and work with young people; at the epicentre of his passion is a mantra for success that he is preaching across the country: hard work, focus, and perseverance. “In this game of football you get knocked down, you get back up,” he said. “In the game of life sometimes things don’t work out and that’s OK. You keep going, and you keep working you keep digging, you keep doing the best that you can to be the best that you can be - because that’s all you need to be in order to do great things.”
Refusing to leave until every individual requesting such had a photograph, autograph, or a question answered, Cecil Martin was not and is not just an advocate and spokesperson for the sport he loves. An athlete, gentleman and the ultimate role model for young people, Martin has pulled many communities up on to their feet – and made many run for a touchdown they now know they can now achieve.
Source: DSG
