Red Ribbon Week

ATHLETES WARN YOUTH ABOUT DRUGS

Two Blue Springs elementary schools had special visitors Tuesday to deliver
an important message ­ don't do drugs.

Tony Richardson, fullback with the Kansas City Chiefs, visited Voy Spears
Elementary and Warren Westcoat, director of fun at Sports City in Blue
Springs, attended Chapel Lakes Elementary for Red Ribbon Week activities.
Westcoat is also a former goalie for the Kansas City Attack. Both athletes
delivered the message of remaining drug free to the students.

"For some reason, kids listen to us as athletes," Richardson said. "It is
our place to step forth as athletes and promote a positive message, such as
don't do drugs."

Westcoat said he wanted students to remember three things after he left ­
work hard, be brave and be smart. The hardest, he said, is being brave.

"If you want to be a good student and a good person in life, you have to
work very hard," he said. "You have to put good things in your body, then
your body will do good things for you. But being brave is hard because
there are a lot of bad people and bad things out there, and that's not cool."

Daniel Philyaw, fifth grader at Chapel Lakes, said he thinks it is
important not to do drugs. He said if someone came up to him and asked him
to try something, he would say no.

"It is our place to step forth as athletes and promote a positive message,
such as don't do drugs." "You should always respect your body and say no to
someone like that," Daniel said. "I am glad Mr. Westcoat came to school. He
talked about something that is really important."

Richardson told students it is also important to make smart choices and set
goals for yourself. He said he continues to set goals by going back to
school and earning his masters in business administration in finance.
Richardson said he is planning for the future and believes the best choice
anyone can make is education.

"When I leave practice, I go to school in the evenings just like you," he
said. "You need to listen to your parents and teachers when they tell you
things because sometimes they actually know what they are talking about."

Westcoat told the story of Len Bias, a basketball player from the
University of Mary land in the 1980s. He said he had a lot of promise and
could have been the next Michael Jordan. He was also Westcoat's idol
growing up. Westcoat said the basketball star graduated from college and
signed a $1 million contract with the Boston Celtics.

One night, Bias decided to go out and celebrate with some friends and
decided to try the crack-cocaine that was handed to him. Westcoat said it
was the first time he tried drugs. Shortly after he made the decision to
try it, he died from the decision he made.

"Somebody asked me once if I was scared to try drugs," Westcoat said. "I
said if that stuff could knock out a huge athlete like that, of course I
was scared."

Richardson said he made the decision not to use drugs or alcohol early on
because of his parents and positive choices that he made. He said some of
his "friends" in high school made poor choices and started using drugs.
Richardson said these same people are still living at home and haven't done
anything for themselves.

"I was told I was a good football player in high school, but I would never
make it in college," he said. "So I worked hard in the classroom and weight
room, but the biggest choice I made was not to do drugs. Say no to drugs
and alcohol. Every choice you make has a good or bad consequence. Make the
decision in your life to do the right thing."