As part of their “We are all part of Team Texas” goal, six members of the all-new All American Football League’s Team Texas recently manned the parent drop-off and bus lines with smiles and handshakes at several Pasadena ISD elementary and intermediate schools to “meet and greet” students and their parents before school.

With the team’s inaugural kick-off against Team Arkansas at 7 p.m. April 12 at Rice Stadium, the team wanted to begin making an impact in the community by spending time at local schools.

“It is extremely important to be involved with schools,” said Team Texas’ punter Jared Scruggs. “By meeting students and their parents, our team hopes to reinforce the importance of the role a parent plays in their child’s life.”

The football players spent two mornings at Gardens Elementary, Park View Intermediate, Stuchbery Elementary and Thompson Intermediate. They will also be visiting Bondy Intermediate and Turner Elementary. Players Wade Koehl (linebacker), John Syptak (defensive end), Phillip Hawkins (guard), Keith Brooks (fullback), Will Gulley (defensive back) and Jared Scruggs (punter) greeted students and parents. Scruggs and Syptak are Rice graduates; Koehl, Gulley and Hawkins attended the University of Houston; and Brooks graduated from Western Kentucky University.

The All American Football League is a for-profit, professional football league that was established after the termination of the NFL Europa, which was an American football league that operated in Europe from 1991 to 2007. The AAFL consists of six teams including Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas.

League teams only employ players who have completed their college football eligibility, earned a four-year college degree and passed a background check. The Team Texas roster is comprised mostly of former college football players from well-renowned universities such as Rice University, the University of Texas and the University of Houston who did not get a chance to participate in the NFL, although some members of the team are former NFL players.

“Our league is built on character, integrity, education and traditions,” said the team’s coordinator of community relations Donald Hollas, who is a former South Houston High School football coach. “The unique feature of our league is that all players must have attained a college degree. This is a great message for the Houston community, and it allows our players to stand out as role models to the youth of this community.”

Scruggs, a Rice graduate, said having a positive role model or mentor is essential to the success of every young child.

“In today’s world, there are many role models that a child can follow, and we have to ensure that those experiences are positive ones,” he said. “The AAFL wants to reach out to its communities and become connected with them. All of the athletes have their own stories and testimonies that make them an ideal candidate for someone youth can look up to. With so many different athletes, there is bound to be one to whom every child can relate.”

One message Scruggs has for students and that he hopes they see through the team’s interactions with them is that team sports is a metaphor for life.

“The individual work that one puts in contributes to the success of all,” he said. “Similarly, in a team setting, as well as for later in life in a work setting, individual hard work alone is not enough to warrant success. One must learn the give and take of group dynamics and the fine balance of working with others so that no weak link exists.”

While Pasadena ISD students can learn from the Team Texas players, Scruggs said he and his teammates know they will be pleasantly surprised with lessons from the students as well.

“Lessons that can be learned from interacting with others are endless,” Scruggs said. “The wonderful thing about life is that no one is the same. Everyone has their own set of special skills and talents; therefore, everyone brings something unique to the table through their different experiences.”

Not only does the team intend to make a difference in the lives of students, but it is also eager to bring traditional family fun to the community.

“Team Texas will offer a product that will provide the community an outlet to becoming a closer family,” said Scruggs. “With tickets that are affordable and a spectacle that is enjoyable to watch, we hope to bring the joy of ‘family outings’ to this community. Because of opportunities to meet and greet throughout the community, the fans and athletes will share a closer bond.”

Hollas said Team Texas intends to implement a student mentoring program in partnership with Pasadena ISD and other school districts in the Houston area. Player contracts mandate they serve in the community every Monday during the season.

“Seeing professional football players on campus even if just for a few minutes really has a positive effect on our students,” said Pasadena ISD HOSTS coordinator Ginger Lay. “We are thrilled to have the players of our new football team already active in our schools and are looking forward to future partnerships with them. We know Team Texas will serve as a great asset to this community.”