The importance of leadership in the NFL or life can’t be underestimated. Guidance is essential to any level of success, whether on the field or off.
Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Jillian Crane, President and CEO of The First Responders Children’s Foundation, and former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse before the inaugural Golf Classic Fundraiser to honor local first responders in commemoration of the 23rd anniversary of 9/11.
“We’ve never done any golf tournament before, and this is the inaugural First Responders Children’s Foundation Golf Classic. It all became possible because of Bryan Weeks, PLTgolf, and Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton offering to host,” Crane said of the fundraiser. “[This is an] historic, amazing Golf Club in New York, Bryan came to the organization and said I care about your mission. I love that you’re doing scholarships for children, have the mental health program, and do community engagement.”
Kearse serves on the board of PLTgolf and is proud of his involvement in the inaugural event. He shared his appreciation for the leadership he followed while playing under head coach Pete Carroll with the Seahawks.
“Our head coach, Pete Carroll, did an absolutely great job creating culture,” Kearse explained. “I think that’s one of the biggest keys when you have teams that are winning Super Bowls or success, and that’s what you see at this event today.
“It is just building a culture with the people on the same mindset, the same goals, and coming together as a collective to achieve one goal, and so Pete did such a great job of bringing people from all over the country to be able to buy into one idea and one goal and being able to get people to rally around that.”
Kearse appeared in two Super Bowls for the Seahawks under Carroll, notably winning in Super Bowl XLVIII over the Denver Broncos. He brings his leadership and commitment to winning to ensure the inaugural golf fundraiser is a success.
“We want to start here today and sort of put a flag in the ground and say, I want everyone to think of the first responders Children’s Foundation when anything happens around the country,” said Crane. “First responders, because we’re seeing it now: the fires in Chico, the shooting in Georgia, the hurricanes, the civil unrest, a lot of things happening around the country.”
Additional information about FRCF can be found at 1stRCF.org and on Facebook, X, and Instagram @1strcf.