On March 6, 2006, I signed a contract with the Seahawks for the largest running-back deal in NFL history. I had waited, and God had answered. …

Because of my mentors’ encouragement and help, I have a solid base for the structure God has given me. And one of the fruits of that solid structure is the Shaun Alexander Foundation (SAF), which empowers young men through education, athletics, character programs, and leadership training. We want to inspire kids to reach their full potential as mentors and then act as role models for the next generation. In short, we mentor young men to change the world.

Many young males today have not had good examples to show them how to become successful men. They want—and need —role models; they’re just not there. Their primary role models, of course, should have been their fathers; but too often the dads just didn’t fulfill their roles. I call that the Great Curse—the Fatherless Plague.

When a dad doesn’t step up to his responsibilities for his sons, those sons will often look to their peers as role models. But those peers usually have no direction themselves. How can they lead others into mature manhood when they’re missing it themselves?

To combat this trend, I want to start a new trend—seeing young men become positive role models and change the lives of those they influence. To do this, we try to get kids involved in organizations that will increase their vision for the future and help shape their faith. We want to help them get educated, not only to be successful, but to be future examples for the people and culture around them.

As part of that vision, SAF has partnered with three organizations:

• America’s Foundation for Chess (which provides elementary school students with opportunities to develop higher-level thinking skills)

• The Choice Program (which teaches kids to stay in school and to make wise choices with their time and money)

• Fellowship of Christian Athletes (We’ve partnered to send hundreds of kids to FCA camps each year, and I participate in some of these camps.)

But my favorite group Club 37. The idea for the group began when I was a student at the University of Alabama. Five of us would get together to encourage each other in our Christianity. Each week we would ask each other the following 10 questions:

1. Intimacy: Have you spent daily time in the Scriptures and in prayer?

2. Relationships: How is your relationship with God? Are all of your relationships Christlike?

3. Family: Have you spent quality time with your family and friends?

4. Love: Have you blessed somebody or showed the love of Christ to anybody this week?

5. Pride: Have you told any half-truths or outright lies to put yourself in a better light to those around you?

6. Purity: Have you had any flirtations or lustful attitudes, tempting thoughts, or exposed yourself to any explicit materials that would not glorify God?

7. Actions: Have you taken anything that doesn’t belong to you or said anything about or to anyone that would not be an example of Christ?

8. Drugs: Are you eating, drinking, or putting anything into your body that would not be Christlike?

9. Focus: Is there anything causing you to stumble or to stop you from keeping your focus on Christ?

10. Honesty: Have you lied on any of your answers today?

In time I asked myself, “What if every young man had a chance to be around buddies who would hold him accountable?” As a result, Club 37 is now a national program that allows young men from every state, ages 14 to 24, to hold each other accountable for their own decisions to follow Jesus Christ.

Our goal is to get groups of three to five young men to meet once a week and go over the 10 questions above. If we can get them to hold each other accountable within their own groups, they can be positive peers to each other. My goal is to have 4,000 Club 37 members in each state.

Is that possible?

Was it possible that a poor kid from a small town in Kentucky could grow up with just a mother, go to a top university, graduate in just three and a half years, speak to youth all over the world and help lead thousands to Christ, become a professional football player, and win the MVP award? The odds were against me, but I did it.

How do we know unless we try?

This article was excerpted from Touchdown Alexander by Shaun Alexander and Cecil Murphey with the permission of Harvest House Publishers (www.harvesthousepublishers.com).