The Making of a Servant Leader

Jerry Ulm, Sr., owner of Jerry Ulm Dodge in Tampa, heard about Tyrone’s commitment to youth and wanted to help some of Tyrone’s college-bound students with summer jobs. The only requirement was that Tyrone would have to be a hands-on mentor to these kids. Ulm hired three students that summer: T.J. Lewis, who later graduated from Queens College and became a Vice President of Bank of America; Eric Hayes, who graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and became a head basketball coach in Pasco County, Florida; and Jerald Mack, who later received a degree from the University of Phoenix and now operates a group for disabled adults in Tampa.

Ulm and Tyrone got to know each other. Tyrone saw Ulm’s compassion and love, and Ulm saw Tyrone’s. When that summer ended and the three students made it safely to college, Tyrone stopped by the dealership to thank Ulm for his generosity but was told that Ulm was out. Tyrone sat in the showroom and wrote him a letter of gratitude for showing the three young men that people cared about them. Later that week Tyrone got a call from Jerry Ulm, Jr. He mentioned that his dad and the family had received the letter. He then said that his dad had passed away and that the family thought so much of what Tyrone was doing that in lieu of flowers they asked that all dealerships in the Southeast, family, and friends, send their memorial gifts to Tyrone’s organization.

At that time Tyrone did not have a foundation, but this action on the part of the Ulm family sparked the interest of many people in the Tampa area. Tyrone attended the funeral service, and his life has never been the same.

As Jerry Ulm, Jr. gave the eulogy, he spoke about a man who had come into his dad’s life that summer, and as he was speaking, Tyrone felt the atmosphere changing. The younger Ulm began to read a letter, Tyrone’s letter.

Tyrone realized that the power of love and compassion lived on and that the love of God and the love of others must drive people to fulfill their destiny. Because of the generosity and encouragement of the Ulm family, All Sports Community Service was founded in 1993. What Tyrone has learned on his quest is that everyone is born with a dream and each of us has a distinct design but it means nothing if you are blessed and can’t be used as a vehicle to bless others. Tyrone worked hard to fulfill a childhood dream of success in football, but through God’s grace, he has parlayed the game to fulfill a unique dream of helping others achieve their dreams.

Who could have known at the same time Tyrone had a vision of mentoring at-risk students, Coach Kenneth Muldrow, a coach at Tampa’s Gaither High School whom Tyrone had met through his student Dean Rivett in 1989, held the same vision? God brought them together while Dean represented the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at Gaither.

Years later, when Rivett tragically died, Coach Muldrow handed ASCS the ability to create the Legacy Center at Blake High School as a hub for the nonprofit. Lining the walls of the ASCS Mentor Legacy Center at Blake High School are hundreds of pictures of students, mentors, and dignitaries whose paths have crossed to help each other achieve real and true success.

Longtime friend and  college  roommate,  Mike  McEnany,  said,  “Tyrone  finds  kids sleeping in cars, and the next thing you know they are graduating from college and coming back to help the next one.”

Tyrone has a God-given gift of knowing who to help and how to help. He says the key to charity is to discern the difference between who wants a handout versus a hand up and continually helping and serving someone else.

For Tyrone, his hand up and service began at Dawson Elementary in 1970, then Callaway in 1975, Mississippi State University in 1980 and the Chicago Bears in 1985 and continues today through former Leto standout Ricky Sailor who has helped more than 300 students attain collegiate scholarships. Gilbert and Sergio Perez, teammates of Sailor, have helped twelve students with full scholarships and give out grants to youth baseball coaches, teachers and nurses. More than twenty other alumni have given book scholarship of $500 or more. Students of today can reach out and grab hold of a life teeming with great possibilities, but they have to be shown how. At ASCS they are encouraging students by helping them “thrive” not “strive.” Failure should not be normal. Mediocrity should not be acceptable. ASCS wants the young people not only to succeed but also to return to their roots and mentor the next generation. That’s the way it has played out at ASCS.

Tyrone has found that real greatness is a matter of integrity, work ethic, treatment of others, right motives and a level of initiative. It also has to do with a person’s character, contributions, talents, creativity, and discipline. Tyrone believes your commitment to service represents who you are every day — not just who you are when you earn a temporary achievement. Tyrone started out serving and helping three young men get summer jobs. All the while he talked with them about their goals, their dreams and how to reach them and to help others. He used the same words, the same methods that his parents, teachers, and mentors used with him. The words and methods worked. Why? Because the words of love, faith, and encouragement are timeless.

Tyrone and his “NFFL” mentors use those words to help students achieve their goals and pass it on to the next generation. ASCS and has now helped hundreds of students go to college with scholarships totaling more than 22 million and now those students have become ASCS alumni, returning to help another generation obtain millions of scholarship dollars for the next round of student applicants. Some students have even started foundations of their own to help the next generation of students achieve success. Students who came from disadvantaged living environments are now homeowners, business leaders and community servants.

In the end, Dr. King echoed the words of Jesus when He said, “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” Matthew 23:11

Jesus often referred to having faith, even if only the size of a mustard seed. Having faith gives us the foundation we need to thrive. He also spoke of the importance of providing fertile soil to nurture the seed of faith.

Who does the planting? We do. Who does the nurturing? We, in partnership with God, do. Who provides the increase, the fruit? He does. What does the fruit provide? New seeds. The process is simple. God never intended it to be difficult. And Tyrone also states it simply.

“I’ve spent 20 years of my life playing football because someone saw some potential in me, and I’ve spent another 20 years seeking out the potential in others, namely at-risk kids which is every kid who does not have a positive mentor or someone who cares about them. Kids represent endless possibilities. Within each one of them, there is tremendous power waiting to be unleashed.

“I’ve found nothing more gratifying than to see a student finally come into his own.

AND TO SHUFFLE BACK TO HELP THE NEXT PERSON IN NEED. Tyrone loves sharing the late Walter Payton’s Super Bowl lyrics.

The Bears are doing this to feed the needy” as it is really about making a difference off the field and helping others in life which is what matters. You don’t have to be a public figure to make a positive impact. The Shuffle was about how it is possible for anyone with a big enough dream and faith in God to help the next generation on their quest for true success.

–Tyrone Keys