As he approaches the front door of his home after a long day of work, his stress begins to evaporate into thin air as he hears a sound that brightens up his day and delivers a smile across his face. It’s the pitter pat of little feet as his kids sprint towards the door. At work he is used to being the one delivering punishing hits to his opposition but ironically at home he is the one on the receiving end, getting group tackled by his two daughters and son screaming at the top of their little lungs, “Hey Daddy!”
These are experiences that our newest California Smart Guy and Washington Redskins outside linebacker Lorenzo Alexander did not experience as a child. Alexander grew up in Oakland , California
Alexander grew up in Oakland, during a time of heavy gang violence, drugs and where more people around him were doing the wrong things instead of the right things. “I had to make the conscience decision not to go that route,” Alexander said. "It can be so enticing especially when you are in need of money right now to buy the latest shoes and clothes that you may not have or have another way to get. It is an easy fix but you have to realize that something that comes easy is not really anything that is going to last you a long time.”
“My uncle, Steven Moore, stepped into my life at an early age to fill in that father role.” Alexander explained. “Although he had his own family, he was married with three daughters, he always took out time to spend with me. Whether he was coaching me in baseball or football, he really showed me the value of having good work ethic. He never just bought me a pair of cleats, I had to cut the grass or do something to earn them. He taught me self-worth and was a steadfast positive male influence in my life.”
Alexander maintained that work ethic throughout middle, high school, college and continues to hold on to it in his professional career. He graduated from St. Mary’s high school in Albany , California with a 3.8 GPA, which helped him earn a scholarship to the University of California at Berkeley
“I was always gifted athletically,” Alexander recalled. “I have always been an All American or the top guy on my team until I got to the NFL, where I didn’t even get drafted when I thought I was supposed to. I could have easily given up on my dream at that point.” This humbling experience made Alexander more determined to make his dream come true Alexander kept pushing forward and tried to learn everything he could to make himself more valuable to a team. Alexander displayed versatility in practice, playing several different positions along the defense and even on offense. Currently, Alexander is one of the starting outside linebacker for the Washington Redskins.
“It took me about a year and a half to break through and make the team.” Alexander said. “Just battling through, making sacrifices, always believing in myself and once I got my opportunity, showing up and producing. Hall of Fame Coach Joe Gibbs gave me that opportunity in ‘07 and I made sure to show up and make plays when I had the opportunity to do so. I seized the moment and I have never looked back.”
Alexander wants young people to know that they will have to make choices in life. Choices that will on one hand look easy but could eventually land them in some trouble or other choices that may look hard but will be the right thing to do. He advises young people not to be afraid to reach out to the people around them that are positive. “There are people in the community who are doing the right things. Find those people that are in the community who are successful and find different programs that can help you,” said Alexander, “ if you really want to help yourself, reach. There are a lot of people out there that are willing to help you, you don’t have to do it all on your own. No one ever makes it on their own. Even the most successful people in the world have had someone to help them along the way. There are always resources around you that you can take advantage of like going down to the Youth For Tomorrow centers. These resources can help you be successful and give back to your community one day.”
Lorenzo views himself as a Smart Guy because he successful negotiated the struggles of a single parent environment and the pressures that come from growing up in the heart of Oakland, CA. His choices to associate himself with the right people and do the right things led him down the Smart Guy path. “I am a Smart Guy because I surround myself with people that are smarter than me, who can help me make great decisions.” Alexander continued. “I think sometimes we get caught up in our own ego and think that we can do everything on our own and think we know best, but unless you have great people around you to help you do those things, you will never reach your full potential.”
Giving back to his community is something that Alexander takes great pride in. He created the Lorenzo Alexander ACES Foundation in 2008, where the mission is to support youth through emphasizing self-Accountability, taking pride in our Community, striving for Educational Excellence while promoting a healthy mind and body through Sports.
The Lorenzo Alexander ACES Foundation hosted its annual Hold The Line football camp on June 25-26 from 9:30-2:00 pm at Oakland Tech High School. Camp participants were taught some of the basic athletic drills and also some things that they can do on their own to stay healthy and to become better athletes. The camp also had mentoring talks, life skills discussions, with people who grew up in the area that are no longer playing ball, but they have become successful in different career paths such as fire fighters, personal trainers or accountants etc. These guys have played college ball but have transitioned to another profession. “I really want kids to see that there are other things in the world outside of being and entertainer or an athlete and it is all up to them to take advantage of it.” Alexander said. “These guys that they will see before them came from the same place that they are right now.”
The ACES Foundation also puts on back to school events where students are provided with backpacks and school supplies. The ACES Foundation has partnered up with Claremont Middle School (where Alexander attended) and established mentoring programs throughout the school year for about 20 kids where the goal is to stress the importance of going to college. The foundation also holds fundraisers throughout the year, hosts a celebrity bowling event and provide grants to help the kids pay for their AAU or Babe Ruth teams.
Alexander was honored to be invited to join President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the 2010 White House Easter Egg Roll to help kids learn the value of good health during the 2010 season. “Anyway we can give back and make the community better for the kids.” Alexander said.
To learn more about Smart Guy Lorenzo Alexander and The ACES Foundation’s upcoming events, like Lorenzo Alexander Foundation on Facebook, follow him on twitter at onemangang@twitter, or go to the foundation website at www.lorenzoalexander.org.
Lorenzo
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