By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
LYFORD — Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt made some fans for life by coming through for Mercedes ISD middle school student-athletes in a big way.
The Justin J. Watt Foundation awarded $7,897.49 on May 31 to the MISD athletic department to provide equipment for sports teams at Sgt. Manuel Chacon and Sgt. William G. Harrell middle schools. MISD purchased new volleyball and cross country uniforms for both schools, and 35 new football helmets to be split between the two teams.
Ten athletes from each middle school, some high schoolers who attended those middle schools and a few coaches and principals got to virtually meet Watt to show off the new equipment and talk with the NFL superstar via Zoom on June 17 at the high school gym.
“We were with him for about 20 minutes, so that was an exciting moment for everybody,” Mercedes athletic director and football coach Roger Adame said. “He had his representatives reach out to us because he likes to communicate with the schools that were selected and talk to the athletes. He was very personable, gave some advice, talked about what athletics have done for him and the importance of academics, and why he felt it was important to give back.
“The kids were excited, coaches were excited and it’s something we’ll always remember. It was a really feel-good moment, to see the athletes and the expressions on their faces,” Adame added.
The Justin J. Watt Foundation aims to assist middle school programs in economically disadvantaged areas. One of the requirements to qualify for funding is having more than 60 percent of students at the school be eligible for the free or reduced lunch program.
Adame said MISD athletic administrators started looking into the foundation and the process for applying for financial assistance at the start of the year. They worked with local vendors to provide quotes for the equipment, which is a requirement to be considered for funding. An application for each school and an itemized budget for the program from the past two years also must be submitted.
“Our boys athletic coordinator, Paul Reyes, took the bull by the horns, he took the lead on this,” Adame said. “We submitted the application in January, and we didn’t really hear back with anything. And then with the schools shutting down, we didn’t know. Once we got that email (that we were receiving funding), we were ecstatic.”
Adame said Watt told the athletes he would be keeping track of them and provided an email address to send him updates on the program. Adame believes the whole experience will inspire the kids as they deal with the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I want to thank the J.J. Watt Foundation for everything they’ve done and continue to do for athletics and student-athletes. It’s a great program, and we want to thank them for everything they’ve allowed us to get for our kids,” Adame said. “I felt it was a momentum booster for them, mentally and physically, as far as continuing to work from home. He got them excited for the season and the school year. It gave them something to look forward to, and I think that’s something a lot of people need right now.”