CFNN Reporter Kamari Faison

The Cape Fear Football team has always tried to do their part in the community, whether it’s helping teachers around the school move classroom furniture or picking up trash on the local roads.

This year marks the 10 Year Anniversary of Cape Fear Football’s Highway cleanup.

“It was a goal we set 10 years ago to have our guys be involved in something more than just football. By helping the community, and keeping the environment clean,” Head Coach Jacob Thomas said.

Coach Thomas has always been a proponent of making sure that the players in his program become better people after being members of the Cape Fear Football team. To him, it’s about more than just football.

“After these young men leave our program and stop being football players, they become fathers, employees, adults,” said Assistant Head Coach Joe Grates. “Coach [Thomas] has preached about becoming a good MAN from day one as a head coach. We want to make sure that each and every player is successful at THOSE things. Winning games is great, but winning at life and being a good person, that’s the ultimate goal for Cape Fear Football.”

The team does this twice every year, the Monday of their bye-week and the last Thursday of spring workouts. The team can be spotted easily, wearing safety vests, black gloves, and carrying large bags. The Vander Fire Department is another huge help in this process. They take time out of their day escorting the team as they walk along the side of the road with large orange trash bags in hand. The firemen follow each group in firetrucks and other emergency vehicles, ensuring the safety of the team as they collect trash.

As the team walks the road, frequent and friendly honks from passing cars can be heard, encouraging the team and showing support for Cape Fear Football.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation and Governor Roy Cooper recognized Cape Fear’s football team for this amazing demonstration of stewardship and integrity. Both things Coach Thomas and his supporting staff have tried to teach and implement into the everyday lives of the young men on the team.

About a mile and a half of Clinton Road is cleaned. The front and side of the school is cleaned as well. The team divides into different position groups to tackle all the trash. Thousands of pounds of trash have been collected by the Colts over the years.

“I enjoy helping the community. The coaches have always preached integrity and doing the right thing. It makes the team and me feel good knowing we’ve done our part in the community,” Senior Safety Jave’re Alicea mentioned.

Teaching life long lessons and helping the players become better men have always been a mission of the Cape Fear Football program. Helping the community and being a part of something bigger than yourself is the definition of Cape Fear Football.