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LONNIE MARTS
Life Athletes Biography
Lonnie Marts
Tennessee Titans, NFL
Lonnie tells his story about rising from the projects to the
NFL:
"I was born in New Orleans and raised in the projects. Dad died when I
was about 7. Mom wanted me to be happy and to get good grades. She made
me go to church on Sunday and taught me discipline.
When I was still a kid we moved to a new neighborhood. All the kids
there were athletic. Sports were new to me, after growing up in the city.
I played sports with the other kids because I wanted to belong. But I was
the last one picked in the neighborhood games; it was embarrassing,
especially with all the girls watching! I did improve after a while,
though, and it wasn't long before I played on an organized Little League
team.
When I entered St. Augustine High School, I was young for my grade and
smaller than most of the guys. I made the football team, however, and it
was then that I met the person to whom, along with my Mom, I attribute my
future success. Coach Al Jones took me under his wing, and in his
fatherly way taught me the lessons of success: "Finish what you start",
and "Take care of business when nobody's watching". Al Jones and my Mom
are the two reasons that I stayed with football and went on to play
college football at Tulane.
My senior year at Tulane, I wrote letters to every pro team.
Matter-of-factly and without pride I let them know who I was. Soon the
teams wanted to see me... and the Kansas City Chiefs said, "Come and work
out with us." It was an awe-inspiring moment. The NFL had not been in my
plans, but now I was a part of it.
At practice, Damon Cherry of the Chiefs pulled me aside, and showed me
what I needed to do to make the team. The Kansas City coaches sat down
and went over things with me, showed me the game plan and built up my
confidence. I played with the Chiefs for 4 years. These last 3 years
I've been playing with the Bucs. In the '96 season we became consistent
late in the year. We're looking forward to a good season in '97, and
maybe even the playoffs!
I am a quiet leader. I am not a big talker, but I lead by teaching. I
know the Lord has blessed me. But the NFL doesn't last long and I can
teach others how to do my job. Character and will are the things that
last.
Today I am a leader, an adult, a parent. I want everyone to know that
growing up in the projects then was a lot better than what young people
face now. The world is all about money, and money leads you into vice. I
did not grow up with the same pressures of drugs, sex, mean people... it
was tough then, but today it's dangerous.
Today the destruction hits young kids, 4th or 5th graders. Big trouble
comes sooner than you- or anyone- expects. Young people and parents need
to stay close together. Don't become isolated from your family. I can
recommend nothing better than praying as a family.
I lead by example and respect organizations that do the same. Life
Athletes teaches abstinence, making the right choices, and respect for
life- and they mean it. To survive today you need to respect yourself.
To respect yourself you need rules. No matter who you are or where you
come from, you can't go wrong with the rules in the Bible. They're
spelled out with no gray areas."
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