On April 15 at Pegula Ice Arena, former Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson will be hosting an event to raise awareness and funds for his foundation — a foundation committed to raising the academic performance of our country’s students. But this story represents the closing of a circle that began years ago.
In the spring of 2000, high school junior Michael Robinson visited Penn State’s campus. On that visit and subsequent visits with Joe Paterno, Michael Robinson made quite an impression on his future college coach. Michael had presence, a leadership and seriousness beyond his years. Education mattered to him. Lofty goals on and off the field as a player and as a person were part of his DNA.
At Penn State I was privileged to coach Michael. By the time he graduated with two Penn State degrees and finished his playing career here he had etched his name among the most revered and best-loved players in Penn State football’s long history.
Early in his career, before he had become a star player, I gave him a book to read; “Days of Grace” by tennis great Arthur Ashe. More than just an athlete, Ashe’s impact reached well beyond his sport as a great humanitarian and a champion of human rights all over the world.
Michael was curious about why I had given him the book and I gave him the main points. First Ashe was from Michael’s hometown of Richmond, Va. Second, he had to overcome adversity to break color barriers in tennis. Third, and most importantly, was that Ashe used sports as a platform to transcend athletics and make change in the world around him.
We wanted Michael to understand that we felt that he could make a mark well beyond the playing field. That book was a direct challenge to him to do just that.
About a decade later in May of 2012 I got a call from Michael. Joe Paterno had died a few months earlier so Michael asked me to come be a part of his youth football camp. Driving south on I-95 from Washington, D.C. towards Richmond the loss of my father was still very recent. I thought about that book and how Michael was answering that challenge.
As the camp unfolded Michael and those of us helping coach the camp talked about football. But there were bigger lessons; education, social media, drugs, alcohol, study habits and how these young men should live their lives. Michael was using football as the hook for hundreds of young kids and their parents and guardians to hear the lessons about things far more important than sports; lessons of what life should be about.
For the competitor in Michael the one-day camp was not enough.
He started a foundation Excel To Excellence with the goal of advancing education through mentoring. Today America’s children face bigger temptations and distractions than we faced. Michael is determined to reach through the noise to help young people find and stay on the right path.
Michael was one of the great competitors and leaders ever to wear the Penn State Blue and White and that transferred to his project Team Excel. Using students’ desire to be part of a team and their yearning to compete they set up teams of students in his high school. Teams earn points for academic performance, attendance and community service.
The scoring system emphasizes school attendance as success’s foundation. But it is bigger than that. Challenging students for better academic results pushes them to study at a higher level. The community service encourages better citizenship. It pushes students to engage the world around them; learning that education does not end at the classroom door.
Already, results have shown marked academic improvement for students in the program.
Given the initial success, Michael is excited to start spreading the reach of Team Excel. He wants to bring it to schools in Pennsylvania and beyond. It is the type of innovative grass roots program that can help our schools and communities reach young people in new and effective ways.
The Michael Robinson Blue White Event on April 15 is the next step towards bigger dreams being realized for the young people Team Excel has reached and will reach. It is with great pride that we serve on the committee for the event.
Fans can join the event by buying tickets at www.exceltoexcellence.org/#!blue-white-benefit/l804d. Michael Robinson as well as members of the 2005 Big Ten Championship team and other Penn State greats will be there.
Ultimately this is a great way for all Penn Staters to come together to make a positive statement about what our football culture has always been about. It is a night to recognize the efforts of Michael Robinson; a living legacy come full circle of what Joe Paterno envisioned for the men who wore the plain Blue and White uniforms.
