A Key to the City

Words by C. Daniel

Photos by Catherine M. Tolbert of Adore Amore Photography

The P.I.T.T. (Putting it Together Training) Participants

“I’m excited,” he says. “I can’t even put that in one word; that’s how deep in my heart it is.”

Fox, now 27 years old, knows exactly what got him to the top of his game. The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker and former Georgia Tech standout took it back to his old stomping ground, Welcome All Park in College Park, to launch his charity, The Keyaron Fox Foundation, on Sat. July 25, 2009. The Keyaron Fox Foundation helps to raise money for parks; recreation facilities; intramural programs and youth league activities. South Atlanta’s born-and-raised Super Bowl XLIII champ kicked off his outreach venture with the inaugural “Will of Steel” Family Fun Day; it’s a chance that Fox, a Welcome All Park alumnus since age eight, believes will steer kids in the right direction.

Fox pictured with a participant

Fox demonstrates a drill

Kadijah of the Atlanta Spirit coaches the girls

“The park for me was pretty much a big stress reliever,” the all-star says. “We’d get out of school and come here for the after-school program; the first thing they’d have you do is finish your homework. The sooner you get done; the sooner you could get out here and go play. That’s the type of work ethic they put in us at a young age. It just encourages a lot of kids to stay focused in their books.”

Wrapped around the aroma from the grills and barbecue pits from surrounding family reunions, the kids are trying to beat the sweat and heat. They have a good time. Fox kicks off the day with P.I.T.T. (Putting it Together Training), a free athletic clinic equipped with a football camp for the boys and a cheerleading/dance camp for the girls hosted by Kadijah of the Atlanta Spirit. Whistles blow non-stop. The field is full of jump ropes; hula hoops; air-filled slides; trampolines and batting cage areas. Gold and black balloons are tied up on the surrounding fences. Around the stage, the kids dance: doing the motorcycle and the jerk. Everywhere Fox goes, the kids follow.

“It’s about staying focused and dreaming big,” Fox believes. “Just follow your dreams; chase those dreams and don’t be afraid to work hard. It’s so easy to take one wrong turn; you make one wrong move, and the next thing you know, you’ve messed up your whole future. You close the door for your future. It’s really about being humble and going down the right path. Stay focused.”

Fox, pictured with his mother, presents a blank check to Fulton Co. Parks and Recreation

In addition to working with young people, Fox is passionate about helping under served public facilities. A local representative calls Fox’s day “a missed love;” the first time in Fulton Co. park history that someone from the area gives back and comes back to the community. He presents to Fulton Co. Parks and Recreation a blank check along with a $7,500 donation from his pocket towards a new football field for the youth; The NFL matches Fox’s contribution. He is joined at the clinic as well as on stage by Eric Henderson (Cincinnati Bengals) and Sean Jones (Philadelphia Eagles). Fox, along with Henderson and Jones, signs autographs in the park’s Aaron Blount Memorial Gymnasium lobby prior to the AND1 streetball and dunk exhibition.

Fox, pictured with Sean Jones (Philadelphia Eagles), signing autographs in the lobby of Aaron Blount Memorial Gymnasium

Fox takes center stage in the gymnasium

The kids shoot around with the AND1 players; the kids are given sweatbands and basketball jerseys. A presentation by Kids Gym USA full of backflips; somersaults and cartwheels set to Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force’s 1983 electro-funk masterpiece “Looking for the Perfect Beat intrigues the crowd post-dunks. Performer Lil’ Dude entertains the crowd; Collipark Music/Interscope artists Vistoso Bosses also stops by. Other sponsors for “Will of Steel” include 790 the Zone; Coca-Cola; AEIM Fitness; Smoothie King; the Atlanta Explosion and Dunkin Donuts.

Fox hopes the day reignites confidence and encourages kids to further their potential. “A lot of kids are from different areas: some problem neighborhoods,” he says. “There are a lot of distractions out there pulling on young kids. It’s a mental thing when you have that type of positive environment; you can embrace that instead of embracing some of the distractions or some of the other things you get to around the neighborhood. We had a wonderful turnout; the community came out and gave a lot of support. We had a lot of people come out and volunteer. We have a lot of enthusiasm; it really turned out to be a nice event.”

For more information, log onto www.keyaronfoxfoundation.org.