Bucs legend Ronde Barber, Olympic Gold Medalist Brooke Bennett discuss importance of giving back through sports

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Pinellas County nonprofit provides youth with access to athletic programs so children across the county can play and grow together, unhindered by administrative costs.

Clearwater for Youth’s Development Manager and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Brooke Bennett, Buccaneers legend and NFL Hall of Famer Ronde Barber, and Ruthie Green Maynard with Child’s Park Rattlers sat down with WFLA Now’s J.B. Biunno on Monday to discuss CFY’s work and the importance of giving back to the community through sports.

“Ya know, one of the things Tony Dungy [emphasized] to us when we first got to town here in the late ’90s was ‘yes, you can be a great football player, you can have a great football team, but if you’re not impacting your community you’re not doing your job,'” Barber said, calling back to his time with former Bucs coach Tony Dungy.

“It’s been very rewarding for me and gives me something other than football to focus on in Tampa.”

Barber also serves as the Co-General Chair of the Copperheads, a group that aids local charities through professional golf.

Maynard spoke about the importance of outreach in the St. Petersburg community.

“It does take the village to raise these kids,” Maynard said. “It’s gonna extend outside the football and cheer settings.”

“We are serving a marginalized community, so a lot of the kids are experiencing homelessness, they’re in hotels, they can’t even get the proper paperwork,” Maynard added.

You can watch both interviews with Barber and Maynard in the video player above.

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