LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky football center Max Godby has been named to the 2014 Allstate Good Works Team selected by the Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association. He is one of only 11 Football Bowl Subdivision players named to the team in honor of their community service. This prestigious college football award pays tribute to a select group of student-athletes who have worked to positively impact the lives of others.
“I really had no idea what was going on,” Godby said when surprised with the award Tuesday (see the video below) at Lexington’s Community Inn, a shelter for the homeless. “It was a very overwhelming feeling. I’m still trying to process what just happened. But it’s cool to see the recognition, but more importantly I think it’s great to see that there’s an issue in this community and people are finally taking advantage and seeing there’s something we can do to help out in this community.”
Godby, a native of Louisville, Ky., is one of the most hard-working and giving student-athletes Kentucky has ever seen. During his time as a Wildcat he has been very active in the community as he leads the team with more than 180 hours of community service.
One of the biggest projects he undertook was creating and developing, with the help of Catholic Action Center, a program called Bucks for Backpacks which provided 150 homeless men and women in Lexington, Ky., with a backpack filled with items essential for survival and dignity. He made phone calls to ask for donations for the backpacks and numerous items (such as one pair of socks, one shirt, a hat, a notebook, two water bottles, one Gatorade, a Bible, deodorant, one toothbrush & toothpaste and others) were placed inside.
He also participates in numerous events for the UK Christian Student Fellowship and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, has served as a mentor and member of leadership team of the UK sector of Athletes in Action, has done speaking and/or service events at Birmingham Children's Hospital, Veterans Hospital, Fayette County “Walk a Child to School” event volunteer, co-led a relief for the tornado relief for the city of Joplin, Mo., and the Haiti Food Drive, volunteered for Big Blue U, helping UK freshmen move in their dorms, volunteered to pack and deliver food for God’s Pantry BackPack Program, while also staying to interact with the children at the school and helped make blankets for UK Children’s Hospital Blanket Project.
“I’m just very proud of Max,” UK football head coach Mark Stoops said. “It’s a special award. Very few people are given that award. He really goes above and beyond in the community, in our locker room, on campus. He really exemplifies everything we’re looking for in a UK football players. We are just very proud of him.”
For more than two decades the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has been one of the most esteemed awards in college sports. This summer, the program received a record 182 nominations from colleges and universities across the country. A voting panel comprised of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and college football media reviewed the nominees in an effort to select 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA to comprise the 22-player team.
Godby is the 12th player in UK history to be named to the team in the awards 23-year history. UK ranks fourth all-time in award winners behind Georgia (15), Nebraska (14) and St. Thomas (Minn.) with 13.
Godby, who graduated in May with a degree in kinesiology and health promotion, will be invited to join fellow 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members in New Orleans to participate in a community project before the 2015 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate® Sugar Bowl® in January. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® will also be honored during halftime at the Allstate® Sugar Bowl® on ESPN.
Source: Kentucky Wildcats TV