Costco Connection

ROFESSIONAL ATHLETES MAY make headlines with spectacular on-field feats or off-field scandals, but a large number of them are quietly using their positions to make a positive impact on their communities. “It’s interesting to me that, when I first started playing football as a freshman in high school, from the very first day people started looking at me, sort of putting me on the pedestal, and I had hardly played a down yet,” says Alan Page, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, and now a Minnesota Supreme Court justice. He recalls people asking him to talk with other young people about education and the value of sports, even from a young age. “I think, over time, that happening so often made it clear to me that I had the opportunity to have an impact but also, given the amount of focus that we put on athletes, that I really had the obligation, and it just sort of evolved over time.” “For the most part, truthfully, players are very interested in giving back to the community or helping out a particular cause,” says Darren Heitner, a sports attorney and agent ( dynastyreps.com) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “Some players are more vocal and more active about it than others.” Those players may include superstars, such as Derek Jeter and Peyton Manning, but there are plenty more, and not all capture the spotlight. The Costco members in this story are extremely committed, and may have a lower profile, yet all prove that they are likely worthy to be put on pedestals. p coverstory