FORNEY, Texas — Former Louisiana State University Tiger and Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears made an appearance at North Forney High School on Wednesday morning to speak and deliver an inspirational message with the North Forney football program.
FORNEY, Texas — Former Louisiana State University Tiger and Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears made an appearance at North Forney High School on Wednesday morning to speak and deliver an inspirational message with the North Forney football program.
Spears is among a list of speakers who have been invited to speak to the team each week by team Chaplain Steven Carroll of weDIGit who said its all about starting a tradition for the young program.
Spears spoke about his early struggles in life growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana — losing 13 friends to death and jail. One thing remained constant through it all though, he said. His father.
“Men are lacking these days,” said Spears.
“I grew up in a single parent household but my dad was involved in my life,” he said. “It made a difference. It made a difference to have a steady example of how to do things the right way.”
“Because when you’re on the side of right, people will fight for you,” he said. “When you consistently do the right things, it becomes habit and they say it only takes 21 days for things to become a habit.”
“I decided [at a young age] that I’m going to let this sports thing be a way to get into college and a way to change the course of my family history,” he said. “You’re trying to breathe new life into your own life and, more than that, you’re trying to breathe new life into someone else’s life by being an example of what to do the right way.”
Spears related football to life. In football you practice and train hard so when its game day you don’t have to think about what you need to do, you just execute. In life he says, “do your homework and think about things that you need to do in order to be successful, so when the moment comes to be great, you’ll be ready.”
Spears said he learned a great work ethic from his mother who took him to church everyday.
“There are a lot of guys who are gonna get out of bed when you decide to stay in it,” he said. “When you decide to do the wrong thing, there's a lot of guys who are gonna decide to do the right thing. Separate yourself on the side of right. Hard work pays off and it builds character.”
“It’s not about making it to the pro level. When you err on the side of right and when you do things the right way, good things happen for you,” said Spears. “Good things happen to good people.”
“A good person is a man or a woman willing to help somebody by showing them the example of how to do the right thing. That's it. Not a bunch of talk,” he said.
Spears told the players to think now about who they want to be in life and don’t let anything get in there way. “I live by one motto in life. You become exactly who you want to be. If you want to go to jail, your gonna go to jail. If you want to have a successful life, whatever that means, not money, but a fulfilled purposeful life. You will.”
The North Forney High School Falcons (1-7, 0-5) face-off against top-ranked, undefeated District 12-5A opponent Mesquite Poteet (7-1, 5-0) tonight at City Bank Stadium at 7:30 p.m.