Ohio high school football powerhouses St. Ignatius and St. Xavier team up to shed light on the issue of youth-on-youth violence. The players honored slain UConn football player Jasper Howard by wearing #6 decals, donated by Rotary International, on their helmets during their game Oct. 24, 2009.
Aside from the players, special recognition is due to Ignatius assistant coach Tyrone White, who sought MaxPreps out to help shed light on this worthwhile endeavor during our week-long visit on the Nike 5 Days 2 Friday Road Tour.
This is not an isolated case of goodwill, but a snowballing nationwide social movement in the sports community, so stand up!
Posted 10 months, 1 week ago at 8:20 am. Add a comment
Title: Kickoff For Kindness Location: The Wolstein Center at CSU Link out: Click here Description: St. Ignatius students involved in Stand Against Violence will speak at this year’s ‘Kickoff for Kindness’. November 17, from 9am-1pm, youth from around Cleveland will participate in a ‘Kindness Rally’ titled CHOICES: The Magic of Giving Back. Read more on our blog… Start Time: 09:00 Date: 2009-11-17 End Time: 13:00
Event speakers will share compelling life stories about the power of giving, and will motivate student leaders to develop their own passions. The goal of the event is to empower students to find their passion and their voice. Students will also be encouraged to go back to their schools to lead their peers to do the same.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, homicide is the second leading cause of death for young people agest 10 to 24 years old.
St. Ignatius will host St. Xavier of Cincinnati on Saturday. Players on each team will wear a No. 6 decal on their helmets in memory of University of Connecticut cornerback Jasper Howard, who died after he was stabbed in an altercation last week at a campus party.
There will also be a moment of silence before the game in honor of Howard. Read more and watch the video interview below:
Taking a stand against youth violence
By Matt Natali, Editor/Staff Writer
matt@bucknuts.com
Posted Oct 21, 2009
St. Ignatius running back Kevin Johson was one of the first Wildcats players to get involved in combating youth violence. On Sept. 5, Cleveland Rhodes senior Justin Winemiller was brutally beaten by a group of teens while walking home on the Westside of the city.
The Cleveland St. Ignatius football team has fought back – in its own way. At Cleveland St. Ignatius, as is the case at all Jesuit educational institutions, the maxim ‘Men for Others’ or ‘Men and Women for Others’ is more than a motto – it is a mission statement of service to those in need.
And following a recent violent incident involving a Cleveland-area teen, several Ignatius football players decided it was their mission to stand up against youth violence.
On Sept. 5, Cleveland Rhodes senior Justin Winemiller was brutally beaten by a group of teens on the Westside of the city. Winemiller suffered a broken jaw and was forced to have it wired shut to heal properly.
Ignatius senior running back Christian Sanders approached Wildcats defensive backs coach Tyrone White about what could be done. White, who authored the book Parenting a Winner: Eight Proven Strategies to Help Your Child Win in Sports and in Life, is an authority on youth violence prevention programs and trains professionals that work with young people.
“(Sanders) came to me and said the things that are happening to young people are just tragic and we need to do something to stop it,” said White,
Cleveland (Ohio) St. Ignatius and Cincinnati St. Xavier will be squaring off this weekend in one of the most highly-anticipated high school football games in the country. But the two teams from opposite corners of the state will be joining together for a greater cause.
St. Ignatius, an all-boys Catholic school on Cleveland’s near Westside, recently began a spirited campaign to prevent youth violence. The philanthropic efforts have been spearheaded by players and coaches of the school’s nationally-ranked football team. The Wildcats, who have won a state-record ten Division I state titles, are taking advantage of their notoriety to extend their reach.
This Saturday, before the Wildcats and Bombers kick off, the schools will honor youths and families affected by violence with a presentation and moment of silence during pre-game.
St. Ignatius and St. Xavier, both Jesuit schools, each share the motto “Men for Others” with community service as a requisite for graduation at both institutions. With philanthropy and service at the forefront, the campaign against youth violence was quickly embraced by St. Ignatius football players when the idea was introduced by assistant football coach Tyrone White.
Posted 10 months, 2 weeks ago at 1:57 pm. Add a comment
I am writing this post asking for your support. I am a student-athlete from St.Ignatius High School and with the support of your school and others throughout Cuyahoga County we are starting a movement against youth on youth violence. On this site you will find a copy of the Plain Dealer Article where the issue of youth violence and its how it hits home locally. Today what I am asking you, is for your support in this movement,
what that entails would be as follows:
1.) Urge students to sign our online petition – or download a copy here to circulate around your school. Begin making students aware of the issue of youth-on-youth violence. The Center for Disease Control, through its research has discovered, that youth on youth violence is the Second leading cause of death amongst young people. We politely ask that you circulate this petition amongst your student community to say that we will take a stand against violence in their peer group.
2) Also we are requesting that you have a Moment of Silence at your last Football game of the season the weekend of October 30-31st. To raise awareness about this issue. If you would like view the announcement made at our football game October 17th please feel free to E~Mail me using the info on the contact page.
3) Once the petitions are filled out mail them or drop them off to:
St.Ignatius High School C/O Kevin Smith 4X
1911 West 30th
Cleveland, Ohio 44113.
Thank You,
Your Friend in a Worth While Cause,
Kevin Francis Smith
Posted 10 months, 2 weeks ago at 3:37 pm. 1 comment
Some St. Ignatius High School football players have decided that recent news headlines call for them to do more than tutor or feed the homeless to fulfill their school’s service requirement.
They’re launching a county-wide movement against youth violence, and began Friday by visiting with Justin Winemiller, who was beaten viciously Sept. 5 on his way home from the St. Rocco’s Festival on the near West Side.
A half dozen members of the Cleveland school’s undefeated football team met Winemiller and his mother at the Cleveland Police Department 2nd District headquarters, where they also got a chance to say thanks to the officer who stopped the beating.
Winemiller, who is recovering from a broken jaw, received an armful of gifts from the student-athletes, including a St. Ignatius T-shirt, an envelope of collected cash and an invitation to be guest of honor at their next home game, Oct. 17, against Detroit’s Inkster High.
The teens, led by assistant football coach Tyrone White, said their game will begin with a moment of silence, so attendees can reflect on recent incidents of youth violence and consider what they can do to stop it. They intend to ask local high schools to institute a moment of silence at sporting events for the rest of the year.
Posted 10 months, 2 weeks ago at 3:29 pm. 1 comment
