As part of the FUTP 60’s partnership with GoNoodle, Player Ambassador, Cam Heyward was featured on GoNoodle’s parent blog discussing how he gets his family ready to head back to school and back to football.
Back to School and Back to Football with NFL Player, Cam Heyward!
A lot of people think January 1 is the time to start fresh. For me and what I do, it’s September. Not just because it’s the start of football and time for me to get back to work, but also because it’s back-to-school season. This year, it’s even more meaningful to me since it’s the first year Callen, my five-year-old son, goes to Kindergarten. ~ Brought to you by: Cam Heyward and Fuel Up to Play 60
Sometimes when people watch football, it can look like there’s a whole lot of chaos on the field before someone gets tackled and you move on to the next play. But the reality is, it’s much more organized than you think – there’s always a game plan, someone calling the shots and a whole team that helps you get things done.
In a way, my family life is a lot like my life on the field. My wife Allie usually calls the shots, but we can’t always avoid the chaos, especially when we went from man-to-man to a zone defense by having our third! Add in the first time we’re tackling the back-to-school season and suddenly managing three kids under six takes way more strategy and energy. That’s when it’s definitely time to start fresh and come up with a new game plan, like we did this fall.
First, we’re making sure our kids get the fuel they need. As a football player, I know how important it is to have the right balance of foods so you can perform at your best. Kids need the same, so eating nutritious foods like dairy, fruits and veggies during the day is an easy way to give them energy. Always easier said than done when it comes to getting your kids to eat, so go easy on yourself if it doesn’t always happen!
Second, we’re keeping them moving. Being outside isn’t always an option and screens are an unavoidable part of life, so we try to use them to our advantage. Our kids love GoNoodle Games. I was excited to see GoNoodle partner with Fuel Up to Play 60, a leading national in-school health and wellness program, to create a two-player game called “Coach Terry’s Touchdown.” When we first played it, my kids and I raced down a football field while avoiding objects like foam fingers that tried to tackle us and collected “power ups,” like milk to keep our energy up to get to the end zone. I may be a pro-football player, but it wasn’t easy pulling out the “W” against my kids!
Finally, we’re keeping our kids busy by getting involved in school and community programs in our area. For the past few years, I’ve been an ambassador for Fuel Up to Play 60, a program launched by the National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), which was founded by America's dairy farmers. It brings together students, educators, NFL players and farmers to build stronger and healthier communities. For educators, the program offers classroom-ready resources, funding opportunities, and ideas and inspiration on how we can work together to teach kids the importance of a healthy body, mind, and planet.
I’m sure your back-to-school season and the chaos that comes with it looks a lot like mine. But don’t forget you can start fresh and stay fresh this school year by making sure you have the right team – family, educators, friends, learning resources – behind you. And, don’t forget, you always have a chance to call audibles when you need to!
Sincerely,
Cam Heyward
FUTP 60 NFL Player Ambassador