Kick for Kids' Sake

As a senior at Cal I felt an obligation to give some of my good fortune back to my community. After all, I was originally a walk-on with the sole mission of becoming the starting placekicker. I couldn't figure out why I was so lucky to become a three-year starter and a school record holder, with a chance to become a professional; it was more than I ever expected. With my final season at Cal, and possibly the last of my career, I decided to take advantage of the situation and make some money for a good cause.

With so many wealthy alumni associated with Cal football I knew there must be some way to get their deep pocket books to help support my cause, and maybe even make the games a little more exciting for them. (Several alumni commented, after the season, that they took a special interest in my kicking because they knew my success was for a bigger cause, not just points on the board). I decided to ask them to sponsor me for every field goal I kicked. I was even able to get some corporations to "kick" in some money.

During that same time period, I was considering being a "Big Brother" to a youth in my area. When I called the agency to investigate that possibility they informed me that the agency was currently unable to make matches due to budget constraints. I decided that Big Brothers/Big Sisters was a cause worthy of some additional financial assistance. I attribute much of my success to the fact that I had two great role models in my parents. A positive role model can go along way in making an impact on a child's life. Doesn't every kid deserve that opportunity? I thought so.

By the end of the season I had made 18 of 21 field goals and raised $28,000! I couldn't believe how successful and relatively easy this project turned out to be. In addition to raising money, there was a lot of exposure generated for BB/BS. In the non-profit sector exposure equals interest. And with BB/BS it equals volunteers wanting to be a Big Brother!

With children in single parent homes becoming more and more of a social norm, the importance of BB/BS is increasing exponentially. Matching caring adults with needy children is expensive. Screening of adults and matching people with similar interests takes many hours of caseworkers time. With an estimated cost of $1000 per match, I feel that the program can have a significant impact.

I took being drafted by the 49ers (the "home team") as an indication that my work with Big Brothers/Big Sisters was not complete. With far more exposure through the NFL I felt like the sky was the limit to how much money I could raise for the organization. In my six seasons in the NFL the program has raised over $200,000 for the agencies in both Northern California and Southeast Louisiana.

This year we lost our corporate sponsor, Winn-Dixie, right before training camp started. Since I had little time to find another corporate sponsor I am trying to rally a grassroots campaign this season. I am asking individuals and corporations to follow my lead and sponsor me for every field goal I kick this season. I have doubled my pledge to $200 a kick because of the program's dire need. We raised $43,000 last season and Big Brothers Big Sisters expects that much from me again this year; I don't want to let them down.

Please sponsor me for every field goal I kick this season. To sponsor me, email me with your name, address, and amount per field goal. At the end of the season we will bill you according to the number of field goals I make.

Thanks in advance for your support.

How to Donate to Kick for Kids' Sake

You can contribute in a number of ways:

1. per field goal I make (makes watching the games more fun!)
2. per web page impression of your organization's logo on this web site
3. a straight donation

Big Brothers Big Sisters needs your help. If you are interested in donating to this worthy cause, email me

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