HAMPTON, Va. — As a high school football player, it doesn't get much better than three-peating as state champions with a game-winning touchdown as time expires.
That's life as a Phoebus Phantom. The team has reached heights on the field most high school athletes can only dream of, and enjoyed the satisfaction that comes with those accomplishments.
Coach Jeremy Blount, however, does point to one thing that trumps even those towering feats.
"I think this means so much more. Football and winning on the field is great, and it's an experience and you'll look back on it for the rest of your lives. When you can look back and say, 'Hey, I was able to make a difference in someone's life, give them a little bit of information and possibly some tools to set them up later on,' that's the really good feeling. That's what we should all be here to do, really give back."
He speaks from just outside a classroom at John Smith Elementary School, about a 5-minute drive from Phoebus.
Inside that classroom is a group of his players, and a group of 5th grade students. They're sharing lunch and conversation today, an opportunity for the students to learn a little more about what's to come in their own journeys.
"We are here to have lunch and conversation with the kids. To tell them the right things to do, the good things to do, listen to their parents and their teachers, just tell them about life," said linebacker Caleb Tillery.
Running back Davion Roberts echoed that statement: "Just be a role model for them. Show them what to do and what not to do. That's all they need, show them right from wrong."