Richard Sherman's Role Model

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Richard Sherman grew up on the streets of Compton, California riddled with crime, drugs and gangs. He fortunately escaped this life by excelling academically in the classroom and athletically on the football field. After graduating in three years from Stanford University, he was drafted in 2011 by the Seattle Seahawks. Not content with being a NFL All-Pro, Sherman helped create a vision within his community by stating that there are better options outside of being in a gang with associated criminal behavior. Richard Sherman, after being inspired by his own role model, subsequently used his football fame to create a foundation that supports and motivates young inner city youth to overcome obstacles. When Richard Sherman was a young man, NBA superstar Magic Johnson made a visit to his high school to talk to the students about the importance of staying in school, goal setting and developing a strategy to achieve your goals. This encounter with Magic Johnson planted a seed within Richard Sherman to not only develop individual goals but also create an incentive to impact the community in a very meaningful way. This directly resulted in Sherman using his popularity as a NFL star to give back to his and other low income communities by starting a foundation called Blanket Coverage. (Sherman, R. n.d.). Richard Sherman’s foundation positively impacts many kids across the country. Sherman personally visits numerous schools throughout the year. He talks about goal setting,