Role Models

John Bergman - Sports Editor
March 9, 2010
Filed under Opinion, Sports

From working in a small grocery store in Iowa to becoming a Super Bowl champion, the last person Kurt Warner thinks about is himself. It’s easy to get caught up in the MVP awards, the postseason records, and the Hall of Fame resume, but his foundation says it all: First Things First.
Through this foundation, Warner emphasizes that all things are possible if faith and family are put first. This formula has held everything together in the Warner family as they have stayed together through the ups and downs of his career. The foundation’s slogan is a passage from Matthew 6:33, which states, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” The focus of the charity is to promote Christian values, share experiences, and provide opportunities to encourage people that all things are possible.
Warner received the Walter Payton Award in 2009 and Bart Starr Award in 2010 which both are awarded to a player who leads in the community and on the field. He has brought Christianity back into athletics ever since yelling “Thank You Jesus” on the night the St. Louis Rams became Super Bowl champions. As Warner exits the NFL and develops his organization, he will be remembered for the impact he left on and off the field as a servant of God and others.
As one man exits the scene, another is in the middle of his career, both hitting home runs and running the Pujols Family Foundation. Albert Pujols developed his organization to live and share their family’s commitment to faith, family, and others. As a young kid in the Dominican Republic, Pujols dreamed of playing in the Major League. Through hard work and dedication he made that possible, but reached the greatest achievement of his life in the spring of 1998. His wife, Deidre, introduced him to Jesus Christ.
Ever since this day, Pujols has been living his life for Christ and started to help kids in need through his personal experiences. The foundation centers around providing hopes for kids with Down syndrome, giving extraordinary experiences to kids with life threatening illnesses, and improving the quality of life for kids in the Dominican Republic. These have cultivated through his own experiences as the Pujols family has a daughter with Down syndrome. Through charity events he has raised money and made many dreams become a reality for youth across America.
Pujols was presented with the Roberto Clemente Award, which he credits as his biggest accomplishment, for helping in the community. Pujols has figured out what most athletes seem to miss, that there is more to life than fame and glory.
Another man that is hard not to mention that exudes a Christian mentality on athletics is Tim Tebow, quarterback from the University of Florida. This past Heisman Award winner recently starred in a very controversial commercial during the Super Bowl that spoke out against abortion. His missionary parents raised him in the Philippians, but before he was born the doctors thought it would be better to abort the child. But his mother refused.
Today, the Tim Tebow foundation utilizes media opportunities to promote Christian ideals and provide special events for less fortunate children. He supports Uncle Dick’s Orphanage in the Philippians that supports abandoned or children without homes. Also, he helps through a program called “A Brighter Day” which helps provide trips to disadvantaged children and struggling families. He raises money through First and 15 in Gainesville, Florida and also encourages people to donate on his website www.timtebowfoundation.org.
Tebow uses his platform as one of college football’s greatest players to speak out to the media on his core beliefs. The foundation is built on this and exists to provide faith, hope, and love to those in their darkest hour. He has shown fire on and off the football field to make a statement and be different in a society that looks down on strong Christian morals.
Looking at these three stars they have little in common to connect them together, but their attitude on the field is an element lost in the bright lights of sports today. These men stand firm in their faith and put on a show for millions of people on the field. The athletes attack world issues and help the people not a fortunate as them.
All of these men exude compassion and humility. Their foundations help make dreams come true and drastically change lives. Sports are a business where this kind of generosity is overlooked, but these men don’t need notoriety to make a difference.