Corey Harris played for 12 years in the NFL. Drafted in 1992 by the Houston Oilers as a wide receiver in the third round, he eventually was cut mid-season and landed with the Green Bay Packers, where he played from 1992 to 1994, during which time he was converted to a defensive back. Harris subsequently played corner back for Seattle in 1995 and 1996, went to Miami and played safety in 1997, played safety with the Baltimore Ravens from 1998 to 2001 and finished his career with the Detroit Lions in 2002 and 2003. Corey and his wife Stacie live in Nashville, Tennessee today.
Corey is a developer and inventor these days. Creating sports training equipment and curriculums is taking up a lot of his time, but he has always been a teacher at heart and takes pride in developing talent and programs in the areas of sports, the arts, music, entertainment and business.
He is an independent distributor for a nutritional company called Advocare. He is also an author that has his first book coming out this summer, and he is the founder of the organization www.sportsmoms.org. The couple has four children Lauren Harris (23), CJ Sanders (15), Cierra Sanders (13), and Cori Elle Harris (2). Corey’s schedule stays booked.
When asked the importance of mentoring, there was an enthusiastic response. “Mentoring means everything to me because I believe it is the doorway to my purpose. Mentoring is teaching, coaching, and parenting all in one. It is a necessary support system that changes lives of the youth which directly impacts the future. Mentors are the role players of Championship teams. They don’t always get the glory and praise publicly but they still get the reward of their labor and investment. There’s nothing like being part of the success story of a test, situation, a year or a life.”
Corey has many success stories as a result of healthy mentors.
“I too played sports and I had a lot of positive influence in the game itself and with mentoring from my father and my coaches,” Harris said. “I was 5-foot-3 and was able to play at the University of Michigan which made me the smallest point guard in the Big Ten at the time. I was able to dream, believe and become because of the people that spoke greatness and poured into me. It helped me beyond the game that positive words, belief and encouragement can make you feel like you can conquer the world because not only is God on your side but others to help you fulfill your purpose.”
“This is what we now, as a family, pour into the new generation of kids: hard work, dedication, prayer and the importance of team. Team is not just your physical team, but the company you keep, your household etc. Your team, what is spoken over to you and what you see means everything. At sportsmoms.org, that is what we believe in is coming together as a whole to inspire and prepare our kids for their future.
“My little league coaches, several coaches, my parents, and my older brother have all had part mentoring me. And the things that they taught me directly correlated to the successes in my life.”
Stacie speaks openly, “I was mentored by my father, and so many great coaches and athletes that were doing what I aspired to do. Because of that, I was able to see that whatever I wanted to achieve was possible. That experience I see now was for the knowledge to help pour in the little things that got me over the top, into my son. We have great mental strategies, and regimens we do and I learned the importance of that from my mentors that helped give me the edge. So I am passing it forward and adding on with my own family and organization of moms.
“Although I am not in a mentor program I mentor just about every day through my sports training with my company The IMPACT Zone as well as connecting and leading college students with a new program called The University Life Network. Mentoring is a daily opportunity that I welcome and take advantage of daily
“I have a mentor program called ‘It’s No Secret’ for middle school-aged girls. It was developed seeing the needs of my own daughter and wanting to not only help her in areas of confidence, love, empowerment, and spiritual growth but so many other pre-teens and young teens that I knew also needed it. I also do some mentoring with my sportsmoms.org with the parents and the kids.”
Their combined effort is the epitome of power couple. “Informally we use our experiences, ups and downs to talk to friends that may reach out to us as it relates to relationships but nothing consistently formal.
Stacie said, “We just started with Sportsmoms our Locker Room Talk. This is an informative session for the moms and athletes on sports, beyond the game, nutrition and information that prepares them on and off the field. Corey and I have been able to open up our playbook that has worked in our house with not only our past careers, ups and downs, but also the success and ups and downs of our children.”
1. I believe that ALL players have some advice, experience or tool to offer a child that can change their perspective which will ultimately change their life. So I do believe players, former players and former student-athletes should find someone to invest their most precious resource, and time into
I believe current players are the gift to the younger up and coming players. They can make a difference in their life by not only teaching them the physical part of the game which they have already succeeded in but the mental part which is so important. A young athlete or young person hearing from and gaining knowledge from someone they admire makes them feel special and truly empowers them. When you learn from some of the best you feel like you too can one day be the best.
2. Setting goals for my son, giving him the plan and support needed to accomplish his goals. It is inspiring to see him reap the rewards of hard work, discipline and commitment in the form of tangible accolades like scholarship offers.”
Stacie agrees with Corey. “Seeing CJ go above and beyond what his father, step-father, and mom have done. As a mother seeing your son not only live it but also give it to others in the form of leadership, spiritual, and dedication in the class room and on the field is so fulfilling and uplifting. It makes those long nights, massages, and staying on my knees SO WORTH IT!
3. Remember what type of commitment, perseverance, dedication, integrity and other intangibles it took to become a NFL player and use that memory daily to be one the best people, best mentors, best business man, couples, parents in the world. We have all achieved greatness at some level and as for me and my house we believe Philippians 4:13 that you can do ALL THINGS (anything & everything) through Christ, who strengthens you. Depression, financial trouble, relationship issues are all distractions designed to make you forget you were made in God’s image and can do IT ALL AGAIN.
I believe everyone, especially kids, should have a vision board to remind themselves daily of their dreams and aspirations. We all have them as a family. Then next to that you need an action board of what part is necessary for you to play to accomplish those things you wish to accomplish .It is important to understand at a young age especially that those things don’t come by dreaming alone, but putting action forward to call them into existence. I gave my son a mission statement I thought that fit his life and who he is as a young man. Eventually, as he gets older he will find one on his own as he evolves as a person and an athlete I am sure. The one I gave him is Matthew 5: 14-16. I want him to know that God has made him a light and given him a ray of talent. He has given that to him to shine for the world to be a difference maker. When they see him they can only say but God. For him to always want to be a light amongst darkness and let it shine on the mountain tops. In other words your light can shine as bright as you want it to be as long as you know God is the bulb that is allowing you to stay lit.
