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Redskins, NFL Fund Intramural School Sports

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The Redskins spent a Tuesday day off honoring Godwin Middle School, the 2012 Play 60 Super School of the Year, with a $10,000 check to further physical education.

Physical education teacher Tim Miller applied for the NFL grant on behalf of the school, and said the money will be used to create an intramural sports program that will give more students opportunity to participate.

"I held a Play 60 event at my school and we took photos of the kids playing outside and eating healthy in the cafeteria," he said.  "Then I submitted an essay discussing a need for an intramural program here at Godwin."

School administrators said that only 25 percent of students are given an opportunity with normal varsity and junior varsity sports.  With the funding from the Redskins and the NFL, every student will be given an opportunity.

Redskins running back Alfred Morris and Chris Baker understand the value of opportunity and were on hand to share it today.

"Opportunity is huge. A lot of times with today's technology, it's easy to sit around on your butt and do nothing," Morris said.  "I'm not surprised with childhood obesity because it seems like we're inventing more and more ways to get lazier.

"Implementing this program will be huge in getting these kids active.  It will also help them feel better about themselves, by teaching them how to eat healthy and workout.  You just feel better when you're active, and it's going to do these kids some good.

Morris and Baker presented the check on behalf of the Redskins and the NFL, before settling in for an hour of play time in the gym.

Students were cycled through five stations of physical activity, including jump rope, lifting weights and playing catch with a football.

Baker told the student assembly that he was prohibited from playing middle school football because of his incredible size and strength. 

Speaking personally, alternative sports opportunities would have gotten him on the gridiron at a much earlier age.

"It's hard to imagine, but when I was their age, I always wanted to play football, I was just too big.  I was six feet, 200 pounds when I was 10 years old," he said.  "I was always too big for my age group, so I turned to basketball and didn't start playing football until my junior year of high school."

Baker said he had dreams of playing quarterback growing up, and had fun playing catch with the students during the Play 60 drills.

"I told them all the little things I see Kirk [Cousins] and [Robert Griffin III] doing at practice," he said with a laugh.  "I told them to work with their receivers extra--that's my quarterback advice."

After the activities were over for the day, Baker and Morris shared autographs, pictures and words of encouragement with the students and staff.

"My message is to never give up; never let someone tell them they can't do something," Morris said.  "I had a lot of people tell me that I wouldn't be [in the NFL], what I could and couldn't do in life. I just used it to, like, 'I'm not going to let you tell me what I am. I know who I am, I know what I'm going to do, and I made it.' 

"It wasn't on my own, I had a great support system from family and friends.  Now I can try to be that for some of these kids."

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