These teams put 'giving back' in their playbook

As if high school athletes don't have enough to do already, some of the football players around the area have sacrificed some of their time away from the field to do good things for their communities. Some events took just a few hours, but made a big difference in the lives of others. From barn sales to teaching kids how to read or collecting food for shelters, these players (and coaches) really do know the true meaning of giving back.

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon in mid-September at the Kane County Fairgrounds, where the annual St. Peter's Barn Sale was taking place. Most teenage boys would have rather been at home watching football, but most of the Geneva football team was there, cleaning, moving boxes and heavy furniture, taping boxes, taking apart fences and doing anything else that was asked of them.

Events like this is all part of the Vikings' "Pay It Forward" plan, an idea designed to do nice things for other people. In turn, those people will do something nice for someone else, and the chain never ends.

"The concept is keep it going, keep the favors going," Geneva senior John McNeil said. "It's always nice to do random acts of kindness."

"It's a way of saying thanks for all the things everyone has done for us with fund-raisers, games and support," added senior Sean Grady.

This wasn't Grady's first time volunteering at the barn sale. Football player or not, Grady would have been there because he attended St. Peter for 9 years before entering high school.

"Anything I can do to help my parish," Grady said. "This is more personal for me because I knew all the parents working. I see the benefits coming to the parish, so for me, there was no choice (to do this)."

Sundays are about the only guaranteed days football players have off. Why spend it working - and when football is on TV, no less? It didn't matter. In fact, some of the players were surprised at how many Vikings showed up. Brian Grady, Sean's father, estimated over 50 varsity and some sophomore players showed up to lend a hand.

"We had a lot more people than I thought," senior Dan Modjeski said. "I thought more people would stay in and watch football, but we had a lot of people show up."

Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said any time a young man makes an effort with the community, it's an emotional investment as well as physical.

The Vikings have certainly given back to their community, as they are 6-0 this season and have given their fans a lot to cheer about.

"Giving back to your town, school and country ... they are very fortunate to be participating in a great sport," Wicinski said. "Giving back is a privelege. Playing a sport is a privilege. Any chance you get to give back, this is also a privilege ... deep down though, I am very happy for them, whatever time they can give."

The Marmion football team requires its players to complete service hours in their community. They get to pick what they want to do to help out. Batavia's football team will soon be participating in a reading program for the students at Hoover Wood School.

The Cadets help pack food for "Feed the Starving Children," help the elderly, volunteer at festivals and sales, tutor or help out with "Crayons for Kids," a program that collects school supplies for needy schools and organizations.

Aurora Christian's football team has made it a point to collect canned goods at every home game this year and personally deliver them to a homeless shelter in downtown Aurora the following Monday. The whole process at the shelter took the boys about 10 minutes.

"To see the look on the lady's face was all we needed," said Aurora Christian coach Don Beebe, whose team is also giving back to the community on the field by going 6-0 this year. "The men, women and kids begging for food ... it was sad, but it was also time to realize this is what we were called to do."

Beebe gives credit to the school's new football field for this. He's hoping more good things could come out of it.

"My vision for building the field is one, to reach the lost and tell them about Christ and to also use the field to help the needy," Beebe said. "I'd love to have the Special Olympics here ... if we could use this field to do things like that, then that's what it's all about."

• Do you have a fun or unique idea regarding the high school football season? Share your ideas with me at cbolin@dailyherald.com or via phone at (630) 955-3515.