The hardest part of Thursday for 9-year-old Kaiden Smith was figuring out what to do with the $10 he had left to spend at Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Photo by Jared Conerly/Dispatch staff
Seeing Smith pause to think about what to do with the remaining money, the employee assigned to guide him around the store stopped pushing the shopping cart – which was loaded down with new football equipment such as gloves, a mouth piece, a back plate, a reusable Gatorade bottle and even a new pair of Nike shoes – to let him think. After all, Smith didn’t have to worry about anyone telling him what he could get.
Picking up the bill was Jeffrey Simmons, a Macon native and two-time All-Pro defensive lineman who signed a $94 million contract extension with the Tennessee Titans in 2023.
Smith was one of 10 lucky youth players randomly selected out of the 650 enrollees of Simmons’ football camp being held in Starkville on Friday and Saturday. All 10 were brought to the Dick’s Sporting Goods in Columbus where each had $300 to spend on anything in the store.
Photo by Jared Conerly/Dispatch staff
Thursday was the third time Simmons and his Give Em A Reason foundation partnered with a sporting goods store for the shopping spree. The idea comes from his turbulent upbringing where Simmons and his four other siblings were all raised by his mother as a single parent.
“Nothing was handed to me,” said Simmons, who posted 41 solo tackles, five sacks and forced two fumbles for the Titans last season.
So today, it’s his mission to give back to the youth to try and provide a beacon of hope to those that may need it.
“You just never know whose day you could make and whose life you could save or change,” Simmons said. “This doesn’t get old. That’s the reason why I still enjoy playing this game. Being able to wake up and do what I do; God blessed me to be in a position on a professional level, and I feel as if it’s my job and responsibility to use my platform to touch (the lives of) our youth, because we know our youth are our future.
“Just to be a light in the community and make someone’s day. You never know what these kid’s families are dealing with. Being able to come back and just be that light. That’s my biggest goal. It’s not just about giving back the money, it’s about trying to make someone’s day.”
Simmons definitely made Smith’s day when he learned he was selected. He said he started “zooming around the house” in excitement. Smith took a calmer approach to solving his pesky financial situation though, opting to put his hand on his face and quietly ponder. With a little help from Smith’s guide, he decided the rest of the remaining money should be spent on snacks and drinks and scurried off to the front of the store to make his picks.
“It’s really cool because I have never, ever done this before,” Smith said of the shopping spree, pausing a moment to look around the store and take it all in. “This is my first time ever doing this before. It’s so surprising. I didn’t even know I got picked. … I’m probably very lucky to be here and meet new people.”
His favorite item he got was his new shoes. He said he planned on wearing them during P.E during school at New Hope but decided against it.
“Well, I’m not going to ruin my nice shoes,” he said, explaining his thinking.
Wesley Dodd, a 15-year-old offensive lineman at Starkville High School, filled up his shopping cart with new workout shirts and shorts, a new pair of cleats and shoes and a water bottle.
“I was excited just for the camp at first, and then once I learned that I got to do the shopping spree, I was definitely excited,” Dodd said.
Simmons, who made sure to walk around the store and chat with the kids, stopped by when Dodd was picking out the shoes and talked with him.
“It was fun and interactive,” Dodd said of talking with Simmons. “Just all-in-all a good time.”
Thursday was a reminder to Simmons why he created his foundation in the first place. Seeing all the smiles and excitement from the kids. He hopes their new gear will empower them to succeed in sports and in life.
“When I talk about ‘Give Em A Reason,’ that’s what it’s about. Give people a reason to give you an opportunity. Give people a reason to give you a scholarship. It doesn’t have to be football. That’s what I tell the young athletes at the football camp. They know that not all of them are going to play professional football, but it’s the same message that I try to give to everybody.”
Daylan Shanklin, a 9-year-old student at Earl Nash Elementary who loves to play football, snagged some shirts, a new football, a new pair of shoes, a Gatorade bottle, athletic tape and a few other items during his trip through the store.
Shanklin’s mother, Angelica Shanklin, said she’s appreciative of Simmons’ generosity.
“Well, I’m very excited, because being a single mom – it’s hard,” Shanklin told The Dispatch. “We are very thankful for the opportunity”
She hopes that through the new football and shoes, Daylan sees Simmons’ message of working hard to one day provide a moment of light to the community.
“I told (Daylan), ‘Make sure you get things to make sure one day you’ll be able to give back,’” Angelica said. “Hopefully. One day.”
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
