College football players set example for kids
Ventura County Star
By Nancy Needham, Correspondent
October 19, 2005
Students at Ascension Lutheran School in Thousand Oaks look up to the benevolent giants who visit their campus every Friday.
Chants, cheers and shouts go out from the kindergarten to eighth–grade students when 26 California Lutheran University football players separate into pairs and enter the Ascension Lutheran classrooms.
"The kids' excitement gets me excited," said CLU punter Ryan Cecil, 22.
Like the other players, Cecil understands the main purpose for putting on their jerseys and volunteering is that they are good role models, he said.
"It seems like just yesterday I was a kid in school just like these kids, except at my school we just sat for six hours and didn't have role models," said linebacker Nick Noroian, 21.
Noroian loves the excitement he sees in the children's eyes and is careful to never give them lectures, because, he stressed, being a kid should be fun.
"We just want the kids to grow up to be friendly and nice," said defensive back Tyler Swanson, 20.
The Kingsmen have been coming to the 44–year–old school for two years, helping the 220 children enrolled learn a variety of subjects including history, reading, music and, of course, physical education.
"We have a unique dynamic here to have big Christian men coming to provide male role models at an elementary school–level place predominantly female driven," said Ascension Principal Mark Kempf.
Kempf gathers the team together for a prayer before they split up into the classrooms.
"Thank you, Lord, for these football guys," Kempf said during a recent session.
The team then helps the teachers emphasize whatever the lesson is for the day by trying to make it fun by making a game out of it, Cecil said.
"One day, the football players came in and helped my students write poetry," said English teacher Cindy Tosta.
Math teacher Rebecca Pariso said she has appreciated the way the players have emphasized how important it is for her students to get good grades.
Aspiring eighth–grade football player Jake Hildebrand, 14, has appreciated the many lessons the CLU players have taught him and his classmates.
"They teach us to be respectful to others, give back to the community, cursing is not cool and don't take steroids," Hildebrand said.
Shawn Armer, 13, the only female player on Ascension Lutheran School's football team, looks up to the players like cool older brothers, she said.
"It is awesome how they teach our students that academics come first for student athletes," said science teacher Melissa Stone, as two players helped her class build models of the Earth's atmosphere out of clay, Q–tips, Styrofoam and Popsicle sticks.
It is not just the kids who benefit from the CLU and Ascension partnership.
Joseph Henle, 22, has found a love for kids he never knew he had.
"Before, I didn't care for kids," the defensive tackle said. "Now, I like them, and teaching could be in my future."