Georgia football players speak at Boys and Girls Club fundraiser

Five Georgia football players spoke to the members, workers and donors of the Winder-Barrow Boys and Girls Club Thursday night at a fundraiser.

Members of the Georgia football team united for a great cause Thursday night. Michael Chigbu, Rodrigo Blankenship, Lamont Gaillard, Steven Van Tiflin, and Trey Hill spoke in front of the Winder-Barrow Boys and Girls Club during their largest event of the year; a $5,000 fundraiser meant to keep club prices as low as possible for the children of the community.

Each of the five players answered questions about their experiences as student athletes and how the children in the club can learn from them. They also stayed around after the event ended to take pictures and sign autographs for the children.

Chigbu’s biggest advice he gave to the audience was self motivation. He told the kids that those who cheer you on won’t always be around you, so you have to find ways to motivate yourself. Blankenship spoke about working smarter, not harder. Saying that he wore himself out practicing kicks in high school and that he had to scale back his regiment in college.

Gaillard exclaimed the importance of good grades and humility saying those were two things he lacked as a high school underclassmen. But he focused himself on school work and humility and he says it’s the reason he’s successful now.

Van Tiflin’s advice was to just work hard and don’t let anyone tell you no. Van Tiflin was a walk-on from Michigan who chose Georgia despite them not recruiting him because of former head coach Mark Richt’s faith and other programs the school offered. He tried out after enrolling and made the team just days after class began in 2015.

Hill, the youngest of the group as a member of the 2018 recruiting class, told kids about the stresses of the recruiting process or just picking a college in general. Because that’s basically choosing your home for the next four-to-five years.

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After the football players answered questions, the club gave out awards to three of their kids and began the fundraising segment. The Boys and Girls Club quickly reached their $5,000 goal. The money allows them to keep weekly club fee’s free.