Breaking the Cycle is a local nonprofit that works to break the cycle of gun violence, poverty, and mental health stigma among troubled youth to avoid jail time while supporting their pursuit of higher education and workforce readiness. The organization is hosting a “Day with an NFL Legend” event Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Owensboro High School gymnasium.
“A Day with an NFL Legend” brings Owensboro locals and former NFL players Mark Higgs and Vince Buck back to town to talk about their journeys to becoming NFL players.
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Standing only 5 feet 7 inches tall, Higgs was a running back for the Owensboro High School (OHS) Red Devils. After graduation, he transferred to the University of Kentucky and later played for the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals. He was selected with the 205th overall pick in the eighth round of the 1988 NFL draft.
Higgs played in the NFL until 1995 and has since been coaching football and running his own business in Miami.
“You don’t have to be the fastest, the strongest or the smartest,” Higgs told the audience of all ages. “You just have to make up your mind. You can measure a person’s height, but you can’t measure their heart.”
Higgs stressed the importance of developing “good habits” as a young man and said the habits he learned gave him a strong foundation for his future.
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He encouraged young spectators to “get outside and exercise,” saying Owensboro has “wonderful” parks and outdoor spaces to enjoy, and even encouraged them to play football.
“Football is great for kids. It helps build discipline and provides them with lifelong friends,” he said.
Higgs also shared with viewers the importance of “paying it forward.”
“Be proud of what you do and help others. The best thing you can do is give back and help others. Pay it forward like we did today. Be kind to others because you never know when you may need their help,” Higgs said.
Buck, a cornerback and safety who entered the NFL as a second-round draft pick out of Central State University in 1990, said he looked up to Higgs and thought “if Mark could do it, I can do it.” He played five seasons with the New Orleans Saints and became active in the New Orleans community after retiring and opened his own business, Cottman Transmission Services, in New Orleans.
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In a speech to the audience, Buck said he thought about quitting football many times – when he started playing for Pop Warner because he was “not good,” when his college experience didn’t go as expected, after a serious car accident and when his mother was diagnosed with cancer.
“But I learned something. I was just thinking about myself, but football is a team sport – it’s not just about me. What else can I do? What other options do I have?” he said.
Barker discouraged the use of social media and video games, saying “video games are distracting” and encouraged children to exercise both physically and mentally.
“Achievement comes at a cost. There will be obstacles. It’s not an easy journey. Watch, listen, and learn. Take responsibility,” Barker encouraged. “It all started in Owensboro. It can be done. I did it.”