Community outreach and its potential lasting impact were driving factors in how The Best is Ahead Foundation (TBIAF) was built before it officially launched late last summer. Now, Maryland football’s NIL foundation has been able to enjoy the benefits as they’ve been active within the community through the spring, including this past weekend.
Maryland had eight players at the Turkey Thicket Rec Center on Saturday afternoon partnering with the Youth Leadership Foundation (YLF) where they were able to work through drills with kids ranging from third to eighth grade. Maryland has been able to partner with YLF through the offseason beyond its six events already complete as the program welcomed the group for a pair of spring practices, along with last weekend’s spring game. YLF program director Foday Kamara admits he’s seen the impact that TBIAF and the players have left so far.
“Especially for kids in the area, I would say it for sure is powerful. Seeing a lot of these kids have dreams, aspirations to be athletes in college and high school professionally,” Kamara said. “For them to see those people coming down to serve them, showing good character, it has a great impact on them and it shows them that they can do it. It shows them that they can do it one day.”
While Maryland’s community-based NIL has helped the players immerse themselves as key role models within the DMV, it wasn’t a perk that all players were always able to enjoy. Corey Bullock, an offensive lineman who transferred into the program from NC Central in January, was back for his second event as the Gwynn Park grad worked with Jordan Phillips through drills.
“It’s an amazing experience, honestly, because at my previous school I wasn’t blessed to have the opportunity like this so giving back to the community, it’s a blessing come true. I wanted this growing up and now I have the opportunity to give that to the kids.”
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After finishing top three in the country with nearly 1,300 all-purpose yards in 2022, running back Roman Hemby has risen to stardom and has been able to capitalize on his growing brand thanks to NIL, including a partnership with Jimmy’s Seafood. “They help me meal prep so it’s really good to take that burden off my back,” Hemby added. “My meals are pretty much sent to me to where I can have meals throughout the day where I don’t have to scramble to find dinner and things like that and they keep me to be able to perfect my craft.”
Hemby has been able to attend three TBIAF events so far this offseason and acknowledges the impact beyond community outreach through Maryland’s NIL efforts.
“We could do commercials and things like that for other people that give us a lot of money, but we aren’t really getting anything out of it other than, you know, the cash. I’m able to make an impact and a difference and I’m able to get in the community, show my face and that actually helps me to build my name.”
Second-year starter Beau Brade, another Maryland native like Hemby, acknowledges the impact of becoming a potential role model within the local community.
“It’s not just seeing us on TV. It’s being able to actually talk to us and be here with us,” Brade added. “I feel like that’s really good for them but also very good for us, being able to communicate with it.”
Incoming freshman linebacker Daniel Wingate doesn’t enroll until June 15, but that didn’t stop him from enjoying his first TBIAF event. “It’s a little different just as somebody doing the camps and teaching the kids how to play football, how to get better and all that instead of being the kid that was playing,” Wingate added.
Jordan Phillips and Avantae Williams both transferred to Maryland after leaving Tennessee and Miami (FL) and have also been able to enjoy three events thus far.
“It’s big. It’s all about helping out the kids and the next generation and getting them better. As long as they take something out of today, out of what we’re doing, that’s all that matters,” Phillips added. “It’s all about the next generation and us preparing them for the next stage of their lives and whatever they’re trying to get accomplished.”
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