As part of our Black History Month celebration, USA Football is proud to highlight and recognize the Black players, coaches, parents, officials and administrators that have helped and continue to shape the game into the one we all know and love today.

This week, we feature four league leaders from around the country.

Andrea Hicks

Co-Commissioner

KC United Youth Football and Cheer

What's your earliest football memory and why does it still resonate with you to this day?

My first memory would have to be high school games and how bad I wanted to play. Being a girl, that wasn’t happening, but it didn’t stop me from trying out for the team. Although I made the cut, I never made it onto the field because I was a girl. Man, how times have changed!

If you could go to dinner with any Black historical figure, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

I would say Maya Angelou. She was such a great poet and a classy lady. I would love to hear the inspiration of some of her poetry.

Why is it important to learn about Black history and what does it mean to you?

It is important to know where you came from and understand who laid the foundation so that you are able to do things that many others only dreamed of. Black history means a lot to me, especially in the times we live in. I am currently the president of my company’s African American networking group. We do several events throughout the company to bring awareness for not only Black History Month but the rest of the year as well.                                                                                

How do you hope to inspire the next generation of young football players?

By providing a safe place for kids to enjoy the game of football and cheer. A lot of our kids come from broken homes. Many times, we find ourselves as not only league organizers, coaches or officials but a second mom or dad and role model to our youth. I hope that as they become adults that they will pay it forward and get involved with the youth of their community.

In your current football role, what is your No. 1 goal?

Two goals: First is to ensure our players get a good education. Secondly, to inspire our boys and girls to become responsible and respectable citizens of their community and continue to give back and help rebuild the areas that are broken.

Lamont Jones

Manager of Youth Sports and Community Outreach

Rockford (Ill.) Park District

What's your earliest football memory and why does it still resonate with you to this day?

Growing up, I did not have an organized football program in my neighborhood, so my friends and I would play pickup games. We could not wait to get out of school and play. Each time we played was like playing in the Super Bowl! This why I started an NFL FLAG football program in Rockford, Illinois 18 years ago. Today, we are able to introduce thousands of youth from all over the city to football through the program, camps, outreach programs and supporting youth tackle programs. In order for some of our youth to have enjoyable football memories, it is important to eliminate barriers such as field access, safe equipment, program fees and transportation.

If you could go to dinner with any Black historical figure, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

It would have to be the greatest of all-time Muhammad Ali. He never minced his words of opposition to the Vietnam War on the basis of racial inequality and his faith. He was an activist for the Civil Rights Movement in America and the world.

Ali quote: Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?

Why is it important to learn about Black history and what does it mean to you?

Black history is American History, and it’s important to promote and celebrate the achievements of our African Americans. But it should be done regularly and not just during the month of February. Teaching Black history to others who have little or no interaction with African Americans may help them develop an understanding of African Americans.

How do you hope to inspire the next generation of young football players?

I would like for each young athlete in my programs to enjoy the sport, fall in love with the sport and develop a passion for the sport. It is my responsibility to give each young athlete the opportunity to reach their maximum potential through sports, education, community and fun. Our mission is to help kids enjoy life while instilling our core value in them: Respect, Sportsmanship, FUNdamentals, Hard Work, Healthy Living and Teamwork.

In your current football role, what is your No. 1 goal?

Developing future leaders is my No. 1 goal. Our young football players will someday be fathers and moms, husbands and wives, and maybe even football coaches in their community. It’s important that we connect our youth with positive role models (coaches) that care more about developing character and values than wins and losses.  

Thelma Clark-Thomas

Commissioner

Georgia Youth Football Conference (GYFC)

What's your earliest football memory and why does it still resonate with you to this day?

My earliest football memory is when Walt Grizzard, then-commissioner of the GYFC, took me under his wing to teach me all the ins and outs of youth football and how to successfully operate a football conference, how to discuss park and football issues and how to conduct football coach certification. Prior to his passing in 2005, he called me from the hospital and appointed me as the conference’s commissioner.

If you could go to dinner with any Black historical figure, dead or alive, who would it be?

Late Georgia Congressman John Lewis.

Why is it important to learn about Black history and what does it mean to you?

Most importantly, it’s about understanding our heritage and where we come from and how we got to where we’re at today. And you can’t talk about any of that without discussing the struggles Black people endured through barriers such as segregation in the pursuit of equal rights.

How do you hope to inspire the next generation of young football players?

To love the game, have fun and always display good sportsmanship. But above all, teaching them the value of teamwork.

In your current football role, what is your No. 1 goal?

My goal continues to be providing boys and girls an opportunity for fun and enjoyment through football and teaching them the value of things like sportsmanship while providing an outlet to achieve physical fitness and learn the skills and techniques of the game of football.

Mac Stephens

Co-President, North Coast Youth Football Conference

Director, Euclid (Ohio) Youth Football

Head Football Coach, Cleveland Heights High School

What's your earliest football memory and why does it still resonate with you to this day?

My earliest memory is the first time I played for the West Griffins A-team (8 years old) Coach Eaton was my head coach. He called me “Big Mac” and because of that type of attention from my coach it made me feel like I was on top of the world. He made football fun, and to this day I am grateful for him because he coached youth football the right way.

If you could go to dinner with any Black historical figure, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

The Black historical figure that I would like to go to dinner with would most likely be Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. because in my opinion he was the epitome of being selfless for the greater good of not only those that looked like him, but for humanity. I think sometimes we forget how his legacy was instrumental in impacting not only civil rights but poverty rights as well.

Why is it important to learn about Black history and what does it mean to you?

It is important to learn about Black history because Black history is a very strong thread of American history. We live in the best country in the world and Black history made many important contributions to make the United States of America the country that it is now.

How do you hope to inspire the next generation of young football players?

I hope to inspire the next generation of young football players by teaching them to utilize this great game of football to get them on a pathway to success. Football, when taught and coached properly, can be instrumental in providing structure, discipline, fun, friendships, role models and a sense of community for all involved.

In your current football role, what is your No. 1 goal?

This coming summer we will be partnering with an initiative that I have been involved with on the high school level called, “Build The Bridge.” This initiative was formulated to help young people see that we have more similarities than differences and football provides a tremendous avenue to celebrate these similarities by sharing experiences and just spending time with someone of a different race and/or socioeconomic background.