Stay Humble Eat Crumbs celebrates their on-the-field victories in Florida.
Football is about more than the gridiron for one Atlantic City-area coach looking to help kids avoid the stumbles he made.
Stay Humble Eat Crumbs, or SHEC, is about focusing on getting kids scholarships, furthering their education and knowing what else is out there, explained Kaiwan Lewis, who created the program in 2017.
The former college standout at the University of South Carolina and Rutgers University says he didn't have a plan when he got done playing sports.
"I had to find myself," he said.
That led to some trouble when he wound up incarcerated a few years ago.
But he doesn't hide his missteps. Instead, he uses them to help light the path for kids growing up in the same environment he did.
“I faced some of the same challenges that they face growing up in Atlantic City,” Lewis said. “I know what 30 seconds can do if you make the wrong decision. Thirty seconds can change your life.”
It’s the sports that first attract the kids who join Stay Humble, but it’s more about giving them guidance and hearing from someone who understands, he said.
This year 18 kids signed Division 1 scholarships, Lewis proudly announced. And each year, the group grows.
Last month, about 35 kids and their families went to Universal Studios and Island of Adventure while in Orlando for a 7-on-7 tournament where SHEC found success on the field, but got to experience fun and community off of it.
Stay Humble Eat Crumbs celebrates their on-the-field victories in Florida.“It exposes Atlantic City kids to various levels of college football with tours and camps,” said Mayor Marty Small, whose son participated in the 7-on-7 games. “It’s just a great experience for the kids.
The community pitched into help, Lewis said. Cedar Market and resident Geoffrey Dorsey were among them.
The team will travel to the University of North Carolina on Saturday.
Unlike previous years, things will continue beyond the normal season.
Stay Humble is adding a summer camp touring 12 colleges, including Syracuse, Rutgers and Temple universities.
“In life nothing is going to go how we plan it most of the time,” Lewis said. “In the world everybody loves a comeback story. My life really has been about redemption; finding a life outside of sports.”
He believes he’s found that in Stay Humble.
“I really think my purpose is to help these young men,” Lewis said. “We do go through things. I know a lot of people go through trials and tribulations. It’s all about how we respond to them.”
