Gamecocks Inspire Youngsters at Annual Pigskin Poets Event

South Carolina football student-athletes took time out on Friday to encourage youngsters to spend more time reading. The 23rd annual Pigskin Poets event was held at the Charles Drew Wellness Center in Columbia. While football student-athletes, cheerleaders, and Cocky created a game-day atmosphere, the importance of reading was the topic of the day.

“I love the energy in doing anything with kids,” said redshirt sophomore quarterback Jay Urich. “It’s important to get out there and show the kids that we’re not just football players. We’re actual people who were once kids, just like them. They can do anything they want to do if they put their mind to it, and reading is important for their future.”

“It puts things in perspective when you realize that kids look up to you.”
– Spencer  Eason-Riddle

Pigskin Poets is part of South Carolina’s partnership with the Richland County Library. The program helps promote literacy and the importance of reading during the summer. While the Pigskin Poets program is normally a service effort geared towards the Gamecock freshmen, some older student-athletes such as Urich and redshirt junior linebacker Spencer Eason-Riddle make it a point to volunteer every year.

“It’s not just something we have to do. It’s something we want to do,” said Urich, who was taking part for the third straight year. “I just want to make an impact on these kids, joke around a little bit, and have fun.”

“This is a tradition,” said Eason-Riddle, who was making his fourth appearance at the event. “It’s important for some of the older guys to do it in order to show the younger guys how community service works, and how we can have fun while impacting the community. Hopefully they can follow in our footsteps and keep coming to this each year.”

A few of the Gamecocks read stories to the several hundred children present, and the Gamecocks also played “Simon Says” and signed autographs for the youngsters.

“Just seeing how excited they get shows how much they look up to us,” Eason-Riddle said. “We have a platform as Gamecock student-athletes, and we can have a big impact. It puts things in perspective when you realize that kids look up to you.”

“There is so much joy in the room,” Urich said. “It’s just a lot of kids having fun, and it gives me a lot of joy just to be there.”