LA HARPE - Lee Rouson uses the Super Bowl ring on his finger as a key into young people's hearts.
The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By Kiley Miller
from The Hawk Eye -used with permission
LA HARPE - Lee Rouson uses the Super Bowl ring on his finger as a key into young people's hearts.
Rouson, who won two championships with the New York Giants during a seven-year professional football career, was at LaHarpe High School Sunday to speak with area youth groups about the importance of making good decisions and the role Christian faith played in his accomplishments.
The Super Bowl Extravaganza, sponsored by LaHarpe Union Church, brought together teenagers from six area churches for football, fellowship and Rouson's message.
"I'm just going to challenge these young people to make a a difference in this country by knowing who they are," said the former Special Teams Player of the Year. "That's the passion I have for this generation."
Rouson's best year in the National Football League was 1986, when he rushed for 179 yards in 14 games and scored three touchdowns. He was a starting back and tight end for the Cleveland Browns in 1991 when an ankle injury ended his career.
Now he speaks in churches and schools across the nation through an organization called Sportsworld.
"Most people worship sports in America," said Rouson, who will visit schools in western Illinois today through Wednesday. "Because of that, opportunities are available for former players like me to speak with young people.
"They see these athletes on TV. They see them on shows like MTV's "Cribs' and see all that bling-bling. There is already an excitement there and an openness to speak encouragement to them."
Rouson spoke to the youth at the high school during half-time of the Super Bowl broadcast, which was shown on a large screen at one end of the gymnasium. There was also live music, games and lots of pizza.
Professional football players are nothing new to this small town. John Earle, Associate Pastor at LaHarpe Union Church, was an offensive lineman in the 1990s for the Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams.
He also works with Sportsworld and invited Rouson to speak Sunday.
"Young people love to have direction," Earle said. "But we have the world out there telling them sip on this, smoke that.
"I believe, if you give people the direction, they will make the right decisions."
Earle said the event was an opportunity for youth groups to work together and create "strength in numbers."
Many of the teenagers at the Extravaganza were, at best, disinterested football fans. For some, that lessened the impact of Rouson's visit. But others, like 17-year old Amanda Tingsley, understood that Rouson's stature as a professional athlete gave his words greater power.
"I hope it opens you to what he has to say," Tingsley said. "I think it impacts kids to open their ears."
Laura Pfeiffer was among those who heard Rouson speak Sunday morning at LaHarpe Union Church. And she was excited for more.
"You could tell he was on fire for the lord," she said.
Rouson's focus Sunday was on his sermon, not sports. But he did take a moment to describe his own Super Bowl experience.
He called playing on football's grandest stage the culmination of a life-long vision - a vision that he never lost, despite the many obstacles along the way.
"What kind of words can describe that?" he asked.