For the ‘Love’ of kids, football and giving back

Rich Palzewic

Staff

September 9, 2024

GREEN BAY – Being the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers comes with fame and fortune – both on and off the football field.

Mention the name Jordan Love and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who hasn’t heard of him, looks up to him or aspires to be him.

Great notoriety, however, is also accompanied by great responsibility – not only to lead the Pack to victory, but to support the community cheering for him.

Love, who is starting his second year as the Packers starting QB, took time out of his schedule late last month to visit with the Green Bay West High School varsity football team.

The visit coincided with the Wildcats’ first time practicing on its brand-new synthetic turf field.

Love made an appearance at the school to discuss his Hands of 10ve Foundation and its newest initiative, 10ve for Cleats (pronounced Love for Cleats), presented by U.S. Venture, Inc. 

Through the program, for every touchdown Love scores this season, he will donate new Nike cleats to a Wisconsin youth sports team.

Applications will open in December and winners will be chosen based on need and announced in January.

When asked how many touchdowns he predicted he’d be a part of this season, Love responded without hesitation: “More than last year.”

“Hopefully, a lot of teams will be getting new cleats,” he said.

Love was responsible for 36 total touchdowns in 2023-24 – 32 passing TDs and four rushing TDs.

And though scoring touchdowns directly impacts the team and the outcome of the game, Love said the long-term impact they will have on student athletes throughout the state is just as important.

A passion for sports

Love, the Packers first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, said it was a blessing to spend some time at West.

“I’ve sat in (similar) bleachers while I was in high school,” he said. “I never thought I’d make it to the NFL, so it’s a dream to be sitting where I’m at. It’s an honor to use my platform to give back.”

Love grew up in Bakersfield, California, and attended college at Utah State.

U.S. Venture CEO Eric Kessenich also attended West’s first practice and said “Love is a great asset to the community.”

“It’s an unbelievably awesome thing that our community can have a great player like Jordan – who excels on and off the field – work with us,” he said. “He’s going above and beyond to give back to the community – we are lucky to have him.”

Love said he hopes Green Bay West applies to get some new cleats.

“My passion for the game of football started at a young age,” he said. “I’m passionate about sports, and I think all kids should be able to play sports. Regardless of the circumstances everyone might be going through, you never know who might need a little extra help on your team.”

After Love completed his initial presentation, he conducted a Q&A session with West players and other practice attendees.

West Principal Dexter McNabb, a former Packers running back (1992-93), asked Love what the differences were between a student-athlete and an athlete-student.

“That’s a great question,” Love said. “An athlete-student is exactly what the phrase says – you’re trying to be an athlete first and maybe don’t care as much about the school portion of it. A student-athlete is someone who prioritizes both at the same time. That’s the most important thing. Being a student first is going to help kids go to college and better their lives. Higher education can take you places you didn’t realize were possible.”

Hearing from coaches, players

West Head Coach Drew Brusoe said having Love visit the school for the team’s first practice on the new turf was special.

“I grew up during the end of the Brett Favre era and during Aaron Rodgers’ time here,” he said. “These kids are growing up in the Jordan Love era. Having such a prominent figure from the National Football League join us was cool.”

Brusoe said Love’s message hit home with a lot of West players.

“It was a great honor, and we’re blessed that he and his agency chose Green Bay West,” he said.

West sophomore player Luke Rissling said having Love come to the school will only help further develop the program.

“I think it’s pretty crazy West got selected out of all the schools,” he said. “It was a unique opportunity and exciting. I’m excited to see the program grow. Having Jordan here is a testament to the changes going on around here.”

Hands of 10ve Foundation

According to the 501(c)(3) charitable organization’s website (handsof10ve.org), the Hands of 10ve Foundation’s mission is to inspire and empower children from all backgrounds to engage in sports, promoting physical and mental well-being.

It also aims to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention and foster stronger relationships between law enforcement and the community.

Highlights of foundation activities include:

• Youth football camps – including one that was held in Milwaukee this year with more than 400 campers in attendance.
• Fundraising events – Love took over the annual Green Bay Charity Softball Game earlier this year. Other community fundraising events for 2025 will be announced soon.  
• Through efforts like the Police Activities League that provides programs for at-risk youth and Dane County Sheriff’s initiatives on mental health both amid the homeless and internally for its employees, law enforcement officials are doing their best to build better communities.  

“A lot of people inspired me to be who I am today,” Love said. “First and foremost, my dad was my biggest inspiration. He was the one who was out there with me when I was young, teaching me how to throw a football. He was always one of my coaches growing up.”

Sadly, Love’s father died by suicide when Love was 14.

“Football is a very physical sport, but the mental aspect is just as important,” he said. “You have to mentally be on point. I think as a society, we are doing a better job of asking people how they are (mentally). You never know what your teammates – or others – might be going through and the struggles they are experiencing. Many kids have to put those thoughts on the back burner when they come to practice or school.”

Love said mental health is a big aspect of the foundation.

“You have to check on others,” he said. “(Through my hardships), I was encouraged to remain in sports, and I was blessed to have mentors guide me and keep my own mental health in check.”