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NFL player helps set game plan for students
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Mike McGlynn offered a question and answer session after he gave a presentation to the students at Austintown Middle School on April 22.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Mike McGlynn, Austintown alumnus and current NFL player, visited Austintown Middle School on April 22 to speak to the eight-grade athletes.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Mike McGlynn, a current NFL free agent, spoke to the eighth-grade athletes at Austintown Middle School about the importance focusing on school.
By ALEXIS BARTOLOMUCCI
Austintown native and NFL player Mike McGlynn visited Austintown Middle School on April 22 to speak to the eighth-grade student-athletes.
McGlynn is a current free agent in the NFL who grew up in Austintown and attended Austintown schools. He came to AMS to speak to the students about the importance of focusing on their school work even if they are involved in a sport.
McGlynn talked about his time in the Austintown school district and how he focused more on his athletics rather than his academics. He told the students that looking back he wished he paid more attention to his academics. With the students going into their freshman years, McGlynn told them this is the time for them to push harder and pay attention to their schoolwork as much as they do their athletics.
The biggest idea that McGlynn focused on was the aspect of not why, but how.
“The only thing I ask you is don’t ask ‘why,’ but say ‘how’,” McGlynn told the students.
McGlynn told the students to ask things like “how am I going to reach my goals” and “how can I achieve what I want to achieve.” Excuses come from asking why, and once one excuse is made it’s easier for others to believe other excuses after that.
The students were told they have to overcome any adversity they may run into if they want to keep going for their goal. McGlynn said that as a student, he never thought he would be in the NFL for eight years, but the only way he thought he had out was through football. He worked toward his dreams and overcame difficulties to make his dream come true.
“I’m talking about adversity; my whole story is about adversity,” said McGlynn.
There was a question and answer session after McGlynn gave his presentation. The students were eager to ask questions about McGlynn and his career in the NFL.
As the students left the cafeteria, many of them went up to McGlynn for an autograph.