Home Local Sports Hood and Stanback speak at MLK Jr. Parade on importance of unity

Hood and Stanback speak at MLK Jr. Parade on importance of unity

Richmond football players Malik Stanback (far left) and Caleb Hood (far right) spoke about unity at the MLK Jr. Parade in Rockingham Saturday.
Contributed photo by Dr. Jeff Maples, RCS interim superintendent.

ROCKINGHAM — Two Richmond Senior High School varsity football players expanded their leadership roles Saturday, taking their expertise from the gridiron and using it to impact the local community.

Sophomore quarterback Caleb Hood and senior teammate and Wofford College commit Malik Stanback were two of five RSHS students to speak at the Martin Luther King commemorative parade in Rockingham.

Hood has grown into his capacity as the Raiders’ signal caller on Friday nights the past two seasons, while Stanback became the team’s biggest on-field supporter while rehabbing an ACL injury this season.

Both roles required similar, yet unique, leadership qualities, and it was these qualities that allowed Hood and Stanback to speak on this year’s theme: “Unity, yes we can.”

Raider head football coach Bryan Till explained that Curtis Ingram, a member of the Richmond County Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Foundation Committee, reached out to him asking for Hood and Stanback to participate.

The Committee’s four-day event began Friday with its MLK Gala at Liberty Place, and continued Saturday morning with the commemorative parade in downtown Rockingham. Till, Hood and Stanback were joined by interim Richmond County Schools superintendent Dr. Jeff Maples on the parade route, holding a banner sprawled with this year’s theme.

Following the parade, participants made a stop at the old Richmond County courthouse, where Hood and Stanback, among others, addressed the crowd.

“This is my first time participating in this,” Till said. “Curtis Ingram reached out and asked if Caleb and Malik would speak on the life and legacy of Martin Luther King. They spoke about what his legacy was and is, and what we need to do to live up to it now.

“Each of the kids talked about the theme of unity, and what their perspective of that means in their life,” he added. “As football players, Caleb and Malik included that in their speeches.”

Hood’s message was based on how as the team’s quarterback, he often receives most of the attention from fans and the public following games. To tie in the unity aspect, he shared how the team’s success on Friday nights far exceeds just how he plays, and includes every player on the sideline.

Advertisements

“The best part on the football field are my brothers,” Hood shared during his address. He continued by referencing the team’s “make your link strong” moniker, which the links in a chain symbolize each player’s role on and off the field.

Hood closed by noting King’s dream of people working together alongside one another despite their differences. “For our country to be strong, we have to unite together as one,” he said into the microphone. “If we work together, we can see good things (happen).”

When asked about about his opportunity to speak, Hood said he was honored to be a part of the festivities.

“It was pretty special to speak,” Hood said. “I play an important role on the team, but I wanted people to know it’s a team effort. It’s not just about me — one player can’t shine without his teammates. It was good to get that message out there.

“It’s important to continue Dr. King’s legacy because he started it and it’s our job to carry it out now,” he closed.

Stanback took a different approach, addressing the crowd about how his injury this past season inspired his teammates to pick him up and help him when he needed it most. He noted that “the guys encouraged (me) and that unity and togetherness” helped him stay strong. He, like Hood, referenced the chain metaphor during his speech.

“I just wanted to let people know you have to rely on others in order to focus on one goal,” Stanback said. “Dr. King had a dream of people being together as one, and I want people to be more cohesive. I talked about the chain and how we each represent a link — our skin color doesn’t matter because we’re one family.

“It’s important to continue his legacy because Dr. King fought for what he believed in,” he added. “His dream shows us that no matter who’s against, we can all win together.”

One aspect of the Raider football program that Till has emphasized heavily  in his two years at the helm has been community involvement from both ends. The MLK Day events were just another stepping stone in the program’s outreach to the local community.

“When our guys have opportunities like this, it gives them a chance to give back,” Till said. “It’s a great opportunity for them, and they don’t often speak in front of people like that. It gave them a chance to stretch and grow as young men and leaders in our community, and did a really good job.”



Previous articleRichmond football announces 2019 schedule; adds Anson, Cardinal Gibbons and Clayton
Next articleRaiders let fourth-quarter lead slip against Walter M. Williams in Tony Perrou Memorial Scholarship tournament
Kyle Pillar is a 22-time North Carolina Press Association award-winning sports editor with The Richmond Observer. Follow the sports department on X @ROSports_ for the best in-depth coverage of Richmond County sports.