Earlier this week, Crystal Ball Run wrote a quick piece on USC football and the 15 players that the Trojans are sending to Haiti in May to do relief work. For those who missed the story, the group, which was organized by Trojans All-American quarterback Matt Barkley and his family, will help build homes and transport supplies across the small island country, one which is still recovering from a massive Earthquake in 2010.
Well, after that story ran, a few Auburn fans were quick to tip off Crystal Ball Run and let us know that a few players and coaches from their school took a similar trip during their spring break. After doing some research, we’re more than happy to share War Eagle’s story as well.
In Auburn’s case, the Tigers trip was to the West African country of Liberia, a nation still recovering from a Civil War in 2003. The trip was planned by team chaplain Chette Williams, who along with coach Gene Chizik and their wives, were joined by seven Auburn football players. According to a write-up in the Columbus (GA.) Ledger-Enquirer, the group toured the country, helicoptered into a remote village and spent time in Liberia’s slums meeting with people suffering from HIV.
The trip was planned in accordance with the company Samaritans Purse, an Evangelical Christian organization, which (according to its website) is tasked with “providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world.”
As for the trip itself, the goal was clear according to Gene Chizik: He wanted his players to get out of their comfort zone, and see the larger world around them.
Chizik told AL.com:
“It was very eye-opening. The group of young men got a great experience of what life is like outside the United States.”
He later added:
“It was experiencing the different culture that lives a completely different way than we do,” Chizik said. “The overall mission of the trip was to let them realize and understand that we all have hard times, but there’s a bunch of people out there that have got it much more difficult than we do. And that was made very loud and clear.”
Apparently, the trip did in fact make an impact for a group of young men, who are, in fact, still very young. It’s easy to forget that although we spend our Saturday’s watching these guys on TV, most are in their late teens or early 20s. Some in Auburn’s travel party (like USC’s later this spring) had never even been out of the country until heading to Africa.
Linebacker Darren Bates – one of those who’d never left the United States prior to the trip – discussed his visit, telling AL.com:
“It was a great experience. You really can’t put it into words,” Bates said. “The people there probably saw us as helping them, but they really were helping each and every one of us.
What’s maybe most surprising about this trip is the relative secrecy in which it was conducted. Unlike USC, which sent out a press release about the players heading to Haiti, little was said publicly about Auburn’s voyage until they party had returned. Only when the players were back in the United States did they take to Twitter and social media to share their experiences. (Here’s a picture from Darren Bates’ Twitter feed). And from there, the Alabama media picked up the story.
But really the story isn’t just about Auburn, but what we discussed in the USC article: That at the end of the day, there is still a lot of good left in college football. For all the negativity that we read about every day on NCAA violations, conference realignment and all the other non-sense, it’s good to hear that these college kids are taking full advantage of the opportunities presented to them. Not to mention that part of the college experience is supposed to be about broadening your horizons, seeing the world and maturing into an adult. It’s safe to say that trips like this will most certainly help.
As Bates told reporters, he didn’t even hesitate when he was asked to go to Liberia. The linebacker told the Ledger-Enquirer, “I said yes right on the spot,” Bates said. “I couldn’t pass that up.”
Well, a few weeks later, it seems as though the trip was worthwhile. He followed up on Twitter: “Back n the US. Africa did wonders n ya boy life.”
You only wish every college kid had an opportunity to take a trip like this.
For all his insight, opinions and articles on sports, be sure to follow Aaron Torres on Twitter @Aaron_Torres.
