As much as the hype around Super Bowl seems to be consumed by the two teams competing for the National Title, it’s also about current and former players from around the league giving back to the local community. 
Shaw Butte Elementary School, in specific Mr. Baker’s fourth grade class, put in the hours to successfully complete the Super Bowl XLIX edition of the NFL Play 60 Challenge. Out of all the area schools challenged to put in 60 minutes a day of physical activity, Mr. Baker’s class put in an accumulation of the most, yielding them an unforgettable visit by Arizona Cardinals, Lyle Sendlein, and former player, JT Smith. In addition to having Lyle and JT send an elementary school pep rally into high gear by answering questions, telling their childhood stories and showing support for living an active life, the two joined the classes in running drills, jumping rope and might have even given the students some inside tips on how to get the football solidly through the target. But The NFL didn’t stop there, they took it one step farther by surprising the fourth graders with a $2,500 NFL Play 60 grant from the NFL and American Heart Association to be used towards health and fitness education and equipment. 
During the congratulatory pep rally a select few students were chosen to present a question to Lyle or JT, with anticipation exuding in the children’s voices each question was asked with eyes held high in amazement of the player and their personable response. One of the fourth grade students directed his question to JT asking, “How do you balance school and sports at the same time?” JT answered with, “That’s pretty easy, you have to put your sports in a certain time, but you have to put your school work in first.” He went on to explain how you utilize what you learn in school to excel in sports. He was meek about his accomplishments and put his gracious appreciation in his coaches and parents and stressed that the group do the same. He also touched on being you and looking inside yourself to know whether you learn better in a group environment or individual setting and using that knowledge to your power. Another student asked Lyle, “What do you do to stay so fit”. Lyle being the jokester that his seems to be, as he earlier bent down with his 6’3 stature to use the student’s microphone, laughed when the question was asked and said, “I don’t know about being SO fit, us lineman tend to not run more than seven yards at a time, anything more, and they are asking too much.” He continued on giving details about his active lifestyle and later touched on being a local kid from the valley, who graduated from college and was blessed, to be home and playing for the Cardinals.
The NFL Play 60 celebration was fun, candid and full of activity. The students were enamored with the whole event, which makes it that much more of a triumph. After the prep rally Lyle disclosed his appreciation for having the opportunity to give back and participate in events like NFL Play 60, and how he hopes that him and his team mates coming out, will take the kid’s minds off any problems going on at home or outside of school, so that they can live in the moment for those 60 minutes. Lyle said, “a lot of times you go to schools were kids don’t know where their next meal is coming from, so it gives you a good insight of how you can help people and maybe have them think of something else, rather than their next meal or issues at home, help them get their mind off of it.” NFL Play 60 is changing lives, which was prevalent at Shaw Butte Elementary this morning; it proved that with a little activity anyone’s life can improve.
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