Reviewed by: Pat Byington
UAB coach Trent Dilfer using his shoes to raise awareness for nonprofits
Reading time: 4 minutes
UAB head football coach Trent Dilfer knows that being a football coach in the state of Alabama means plenty of people are watching everything you do on the football field. And when fans see Dilfer at this weekend’s game against Tulane, the second-year UAB coach hopes they’ll catch a glimpse of his shoes.
Dilfer’s footwear has become a platform for the coach to highlight a different charitable cause, as part of an initiative called #MyCauseMyShoe. Each week, Dilfer attaches the logo of a different nonprofit organization to his shoes, such as Birmingham’s 99 Neighborhoods, Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank, Black Warrior Riverkeeper and Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama.
“UAB Football’s players, coaches, and staff have been outstanding new partners on our watershed cleanups. To our nonprofit, the team’s community service is a touchdown, and being promoted through #MyCauseMyShoe is an awesome two-point conversion.”
Charles Scribner, executive director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper
For Dilfer, the weekly awareness opportunity fits into his overall goals for the program he’s trying to build at UAB, one oriented around not just building a successful football program but one which encourages its players to make an impact in their community.
“When your focus is on others, you’re naturally going to be a better teammate and you’re going to play better football. We’re trying to impact humans so they can impact the world. Many times that’s through football but it’s also through service, developing good husbands and fathers. MyCauseMyShoe was another way to show my players that you can impact people in a lot of different ways.”
Trent Dilfer
UAB Football’s Tradition of Community Outreach
The #MyCauseMyShoe movement is the latest in a long line of community outreach efforts for the UAB Blazers football program, joining several other traditions such as the annual Children’s Harbor Game which began under former head coach Bill Clark. Dilfer says UAB’s commitment to using their football program to make an impact beyond the stadium was a major factor in his decision to become the UAB coach.
“It was one of the things that attracted me to the job initially. It was obvious this place already saw the potential impact a football program can have off the field.”
Trent Dilfer
The program’s connection to children’s health issues was a particularly strong personal connection for Dilfer, who lost his son Trevin to heart disease at the age of 5 back in 2003. Dilfer says his family’s experience gives him a personal connection to UAB’s awareness efforts for Children’s Harbor and Camp Smile-A-Mile.
“I put myself in those families’ shoes. I know what they’re going through, I’ve lived what they’re going through and I’ve lived the worst end result of this.”
Trent Dilfer
Dilfer Wants UAB Football to be ‘Cheerleaders’
Dilfer hopes the small gestures of #MyCauseMyShoe will contribute some much-needed lifting of spirits for all the nonprofit organizations being spotlighted.
“I don’t know if there’s enough cheerleaders in the world right now. There’s plenty of booing fans but not enough cheerleaders. To be able to celebrate those families and their kids going through a storm, to be able to celebrate the medical professionals helping them through it. These people work tirelessly, they don’t get a lot of pats on the back. We want our football team to be cheerleaders for them.”
Trent Dilfer
Keep an eye out for Dilfer’s latest promotion effort on his shoes this weekend when the UAB Blazers take on Tulane at noon on Saturday on ESPN+ and follow Dilfer’s Instagram to see his weekly shoe reveals throughout the season.
