Original subtitles

- [Narrator] Previously on 4th And Forever,

it was homecoming at Pahokee

and coach DJ Boldin celebrated with a much needed win.

- You ain't see that move.

I saw this part of our schedule as a turning point.

- [Narrator] And seniors Jermaine Roberson

and Kerry Mullins, stepped up big time.

- Our defensive got turned

and offense got the ball back

and everybody just started playing good.

- [Narrator] For Glade Central,

a shocking upset left star Jim Davis,

at an uncomfortable crossroads.

- I ain't never lose versus Cuckland.

We gotta get it right.

- [Narrator] It all made Glade Central's transfer,

Scooter Kabir,

happy to be at Pahokee.

- Glade Central do not,

look like the same Glade Central that I left a year ago.

(dramatic music]

- [Narrator] First comes the fire.

The crackling flames, bellowing smoke and falling ash,

announce the start of the sugarcane harvest

at Muck City Florida.

- Black ash falls down in pieces

and since we don't get regular snow,

that's what we call Pahokee snow.

(dramatic music) (fire crackling)

- [Narrator] Next, come the rabbit hunters.

Who chase the animals as they flee the burning fields.

- And those guys will chase the rabbit down,

he does not have a chance.

- [Narrator] This ritual now symbolizes the Muck

and the mythical speedy pursuit,

of an elusive price.

(dramatic music)

- It's all about the speed.

So what you see with the kids,

their parents had the speed,

their grandparents had the speed,

their great grandparents had the speed.

(dramatic music)

- [Narrator] But as the young men of Pahokee

and Glade Central turn the burning cane fields

into their personal training grounds,

former star player comes home to share his vision

over Muck City.

One powered not by fossil fuels,

but by the leaves each harvest has left behind.

- I'm coming back home to let folks know that,

we can literally be green powered cities,

even though we're from this small place, this small town,

we can come back and be able to pour back

into the next generation, so they can do the same.

(dramatic music)

(delightful music)

- I consider big sugar a blessing.

They employ a lot of people,

they're good for the soil,

they're just good.

- They employ let's say 75% of people in this Glades area.

- [Narrator] But the sugarcane industry hasn't always been

the beating heart of the Muck City economy.

In the 1960s,

production was centered in the Caribbean

and Central America.

But political upheaval, drove the industry northward

into South Florida.

- It really became big in this area,

when Castro took over in Cuba.

We put out then Bago and Cuba,

we stopped buying sugar,

a lot of the land that had been in cattle and vegetables,

became sugarcane.

- [Narrator] The towns of Belle Glade, Pahokee

and Clewiston,

form the largest sugar producing region in the U.S.

With more than 15,000,000 tones of sugar,

flowing from these fields each year.

(delightful music)

Out here,

harvest begins with the annual burning of the cane.

- The fire just burns away the leaves

and it leaves the stem and the stalk,

which they harvest, mechanically,

cut it up little pieces,

take it to the mill,

they put it through rollers which squeezes the juice,

and basically they just get

thousands of gallons of cane juice.

Heat it and all the evaporation of the sugar crystalizes

and kinda go from there.

(upbeat music)

- [Narrator] With the rise of sugar,

came waves of newcomers.

- The Caribbean cane cutters,

they would come in during the season.

They were housed and fed by the sugar industry

but they spent their money, in the local stores

so they were a huge economic generator for us.

- I have a lot to thank that industry for.

I'm a first generation American,

both my parents are from Jamaica.

My dad was one of those migrant workers,

who traveled back and forth from Jamaica,

who before they had these harvesting machines,

used to cut the cane manually with cane knives

and so it got my family to America.

- [Narrator] Today, Pahokee, Belle Glade and Clewiston,

might all be big sugarcane towns,

but when it comes to football,

(electrifying music)

Clewiston play second fiddle to rivals Pahokee High

and Glade Central.

- Clewiston (chuckles) they ain't got no Muck,

they got sand down there.

- Once you head towards Clewiston, the Muck ends.

When it comes down to the Muck,

we kinda have our nose tooted up a little bit.

'Cause we consider ourselves The Muck.

Pahokee, Glade Central.

- Clewiston is like, step kids of the Muck,

we don't really care about them too much,

how we care about Pahokee and Belle Glade.

But they're close so we got a little bit of consideration.

(upbeat music)

- [Narrator] Anytime either Pahokee or Glade Central

take on Clewiston,

the game is dubbed, The Sugar Bowl.

(upbeat music)

- Clewiston, no I mean I played them,

I've never lost to Clewiston, me personally,

I never lost to Clewiston.

(upbeat music)

- [Narrator] With the star seniors like Scooter Kabir

and Jermaine Roberson along with number five,

Frankie Burgess and number nine,

Carey, The Rabbit Hunter, Mullins,

Pahokee heads into the Sugar Bowl,

the odds on favor.

- I think we have enough talent and wins on the team

that we'll be able to pull this game through with a win.

(delightful music)

- [Narrator] But in the build up to the game with Clewiston,

one of Pahokee's biggesandouts,

is sidelined, by a seemingly small but serious injury.

- So I went to the doctor this morning

and they took another x-ray of my pinkie

and like off the back he was like I'm gonna need a surgery.

I don't want no surgery done.

'Cause I wanna at least finish the season and then get it.

- [Narrator] Scooter's grandmother however,

insists on surgery

which could put an end to Scooter's season

and diminish Pahokee's chances on winning the Sugar Bowl.

- That's my first time hearing of a season-ending

pinkie finger injury.

- Now if you had a broken arm, wrist, shoulder, leg, neck,

I'd be like...

We talking 'bout a pinkie though.

- And I told her.

I said doctor I'll get a hard cast.

I said that my finger.

- It's frustrating because,

it will be a devastating blow to our team

and it will be a devastating blow to our defense.

- Have you ever saw Jim Harbaugh?

- No.

- His pinkie finger, is here.

He played NFL as a quarterback.

Pinkie finger, here.

He had surgery to move it from here to here.

That's about as good as it's gon' get.

Guess what?

He's filthy rich.

100 million out.

Just from a little deformed pinkie.

You think he care about a pinkie?

- My grandma said it's not an option I have to get

but it's my finger.

I mean, it's a pinkie.

- I know you wanna play

but we gotta make this reality to grandma.

So you gotta talk to grandma.

(delightful music)

- [Narrator] Coach Boldin often shuttles Scooter

between Pahokee and his grandmother's home in Belle Glade.

- I feel nothing.

I told her I bent it today so I can play.

- I know you can play.

There ain't no doubt in my mind about that.

- [Narrator] Scooter transferred

from Glade Central to Pahokee,

because he wanted to make an impact

during big games as senior year

but if he can't convince his grandmother

to change her mind about pinkie surgery,

Scooter's plans will be all for none.

- Now I'm on my way home,

so my coach here,

can talk some sense,

into my grandma.

- You're funny man.

- I wanna talk about getting a metal straight brace

for just a single finger

and we'll see what happens from there.

(suspenseful music)

- [Narrator] Scooter recently accepted a scholarship

to play college football

at the University Of Central Florida.

- Hey grandma?

- [Narrator] But any school can withdraw an offer

if the player raises concerns

with his future college coaches.

- They not gon' take too kind of him being out,

because of a pinkie injury.

Because, for a simple fact,

they have had guys

that have broken hands before in the game,

put on a cast was played.

And then there maybe a perception of,

maybe he's not as tough as we think he is.

- I hear what you're saying,

but see this is not his decision this is my decision

and I'm not gonna risk him getting seriously injured

so he can get out there on the football field.

He's more important to me than any football.

- [Scooter] Grandma, look.

- Say what you gotta say Scooter

and you better try to speak up, now is the time.

- When I broke it, I broke it at the first quarter,

that was at the beginning of the game

like the second drive of the first quarter

and I played for the rest of the night.

- But listen, let me call an expert

because to me, you all are not experts

but I got an expert.

- I'm not an expert.

- I'm finna call my experts and talk to them.

(upbeat music)

Hey, Leroy,

how are you doing?

I got a question for you.

- [Narrator] Scooter's grandma calls her son,

Scooter's uncle Leroy, looking for advice.

- Scooter broke his pinkie playing football

and the doctor said he needs surgery.

What do you think the risk for that is?

The coaches want him to play

and they're saying he would be perceived,

as being soft in the eyes of the college coaches.

They love football, that's their thing.

My thing is making sure he's okay.

- She didn't want to stand in the rain.

- [Grandma] All right then, thank you for the advice.

Later.

He wasn't no help to me at all.

(Boldin laughing)

Well he wasn't.

- So what'd he say Nan?

- What do you think?

- [Grandma] He said that, if it was him,

and you wanted to play, he'd let you play

because football players do play with broken bones

and as long as y'all protect it.

- I'm not worried.

I understand why you're worried though.

- Make sure he's wrapped up really really good.

- Yes ma'am.

- Give me a hug, love you granny.

- I love you too.

- Now I'm a go for Friday.

(delightful music)

- [Narrator] While Pahokee prepares for the Sugar Bowl,

thankfully with Scooter Kabir,

Glade Central has the week off.

(upbeat music)

But it's business as usual on the practice field.

And when former GC wide receiver Steve Messam drops by,

his glory years come flashing back.

- They got better practice jerseys than we had.

My entire varsity career I only lost one game.

We had the second longest win streak in the nation.

I think we stopped right around 55 games straight.

I was a part of that.

That helped shape me, helped shape this community

and the pride that we have,

it's definitely something that I don't take lightly.

(upbeat music)

- [Narrator] Messam played college ball at Central Michigan

before a successful career in pharmaceutical sales,

eventually allowed him to come home to Muck City.

- I've been back here in the Muck,

living here, raising my family here.

And like with everything, time changes.

People start to create technology

and I've noticed some things that,

I didn't really notice when I was growing up

with pre-harvest burning,

the leaves, there's a by-product that's called begasse.

It serves as a biofuel.

It's enough electricity and power in that begasse,

to actually power cities.

We can literally be green powered cities using this begasse.

- [Narrator] While Steve Messam dreams of a Muck City

powered entirely by begasse,

Scooter Kabir and coach Boldin,

are dreaming of the upcoming Sugar Bowl,

now that Scooter's grandma gave him the okay to play.

To celebrate,

the two head out to a local culinary landmark.

- [Boldin] What you got, lemonade--

- [Scooter] Yes sir.

st for me.

- [Boldin] Dixie Fried has been around

since I was a little kid.

I haven't had Dixie Fried since 2000...

- A long time?

- About 10, 11.

(Scooter groans)

Now that I'm home,

this is my first time being able to stop by Dixie Fried

and get my 20 piece and my fries and my lemonade.

Familiar.

They have people from Belle Glade, Pahokee, Clewiston,

all come to Dixie Fried.

- [Narrator] With the Sugar Bowl this week

and the almighty Muck Bowl versus Glade Central

coming after that,

coach Boldin and his star lineman

know the whole Pahokee program dodged a bullet,

when grandma Virginia allowed Scooter to play.

- It was a sound of relief,

having Scooter to be cleared for the game.

I mean, that would have been a total blow

to an already tumultuous season.

- I almost thought you ain't have her.

I was like oh man,

she ain't trying to hear none of that for real.

- She was cautious.

- Yeah a bit too cautious.

- [Boldin] She loves you man.

- [Scooter] She ain't even cave easy.

- We need to win tomorrow night.

That's why we need you.

We still have an opportunity to playoffs

and he's a big part of the reason

why we still have an opportunity

and he's a big part, he's the reason,

why we will continue to have the opportunity.

- [Narrator] In order to make the playoffs,

Pahokee needs to beat Clewiston in the Sugar Bowl

and then Glade Central in the Muck Bowl.

And thanks to Glade Central's upset loss

to Park Vista last week,

the upcoming Muck Bowl

is a do or die match up for both teams.

- Losing is not an option.

- This is a win or go home fam.

- We need a win tomorrow,

we need to win for the rest of the season, period.

- That makes Muck Bowl,

so much more special. - You wanna know why?

Because they need to win,

in order to stay in the playoffs.

- Both teams need to win.

- In order to stay in the playoffs.

- I don't think it's ever been that way where,

if you lose the Muck Bowl you don't go to the playoff at all

for both teams.

So I think that puts extra pressure,

that puts extra excitement,

that puts everything on top of,

an already storybook season, for me as a new coach.

Hey, you can't write this movie script.

- [Narrator] On the other side of the Muck,

Steve Messam heads to a meeting to gain plan

about how to bring his message of a green powered Muck City,

to the South Florida masses.

- Good evening everyone?

- [All] Good evening.

- [Steve] What's going on? (all laughing)

So in tonight's meeting,

we'll talk about what's coming up,

like any type of outreach events,

any type of activities,

that we're planning to do from an outreach standpoint,

that will help ustion get to the goal.

- [Narrator] Tonight, Steve and his crew,

are planning an outreach effort

at an upcoming annual kickball tournament.

- [Steve] That will be just a great opportunity

for us to get a captive audience,

who's gonna be out there all day

and let them know about what we're trying to do.

- [Narrator] Steve's goal,

is to simply spread his vision

and hope that others can see the potential.

- One thing about being a part of the millennial generation,

I think we're very outspoken

and when we get on board, we're passionate about it.

- [Narrator] A Muck City powered by the green byproducts

of the sugarcane harvest,

may one day very well come true.

For now, the burning cane fields

still offer young men an opportunity

to partake in a time honored Muck City tradition,

rabbit hunting.

Rabbit hunters, like Pahokee linebacker, Kerry Mullins,

welcome the start of the cane burning season

because the flames and the mechanical harvesters,

send rabbits running from their undergd burrows.

- [Kerry] I'm real excited, I want to go.

I haven't went yet this year.

- [Narrator] Step one for Kerry,

is pinpointing a good place to hunt.

- You can smell the cane, you smell it?

When I smell it that's how I know we're close to a cut.

There she go, yup there you go.

The trucks that get the cane.

They down there.

They're down there.

Got out the car

and I waited for the cane truck to go by.

I gotta find me a stick.

And I went and grabbed the stick and broke it with my foot.

(dramatic music)

- [Narrator] Kerry inherited his instincts

for rabbit hunting and sugarcane,

after making his first trips,

into the fields as a child.

- [Kerry] My dad actually taught me.

I would go with him when I was younger

and I watched him catch a lot.

He used to show me the way.

I thought it was scary

'cause he was killing animals at first but,

he told me it's survival.

I mean, it's either eat or die.

So I chose to eat.

(upbeat music)

- [Narrator] Kerry moves in closer to the sweltering flames.

(flames crackling)

- Heat ain't nothing to play with.

That fire is hot.

Your face is boiling

when you get close to it if it's so hot.

Try not to get too close to it 'cause you will get burned.

- [Narrator] As the starting middle linebacker,

Kerry is the eyes and ears of Pahokee's defense.

It's his job to anticipate

what's coming next from the opposing team.

In rabbit hunting,

Kerry takes the same approach.

- I was visualizing a running back.

Like I thought the rabbits were running backs

so I got in my stance.

When it comes out I'm just ready to grab it.

- [Narrator] And soon, Kerry spots a brown Muck rabbit

pushed out of the cane by the harvester.

Kerry chases it towards the canal.

(upbeat music)

- [Kerry] To run the burn,

the rabbits will jump into the canal to cool off.

- Got one.

(upbeat music)

- [Narrator] For Kerry and other local chasers,

snagging a rabbit, offers an opportunity for a tasty meal

or a possible pay day.

- Chase them to sell them as food,

a lot of folks here eat rabbit

and the myth is, the rabbit chasing that we do here,

is the reason why our guys are so athletic,

so fast, so quick.

- We enjoy, just the challenge.

This week we just run them down.

- [Narrator] But not everyone approves

of the way the outside world associates rabbit hunting

with Muck City football.

(upbeat music)

- I do disagree with one thing.

All of our kids are not out in the field chasing rabbits

to learn how to run.

- It wasn't the rabbit that really made me fast,

I was training for a long time, to become fast.

As I got faster, It had got rest for people to even stop me.

- [Narrator] Not as many players chase rabbits these days.

But the hunt remains a symbol

for Muck City's steadfast commitment

to raising up fast and talented college prospects.

- [Kerry] Today my lucky day.

(delightful music)

- [Narrator] It's Sugar Bowl time.

A must win game for the Pahokee Blue Devils,

if they have any hope of making the playoffs.

(dramatic music)

- Competition, you know the intensity,

it's high, especially with the new coaches,

they have new goals for us.

- [Narrator] Goals for tonight,

battle through injuries.

- Put a sterile on it and then you're good to go.

- [Narrator] And get the W.

(players chanting)

(dramatic music)

- [Narrator] It's Pahokee's laste game of the season.

Which also means it's Senior Night.

For team leaders like Kerry Mullins,

it's one of the few remaining opportunities he has

to attract attention from college scouts.

- [Kerry] My recruiting process,

I don't have any offers right now.

Hopefully some might take a chance on me.

- Let's get ready to play.

- Start fast, come on.

- [Announcer] And we're off.

- Eyes on the running back line backers.

- [Narrator] Clewiston gets the ball first

and number nine, Kerry Mullins, shuts them down.

(dramatic music)

- [Boldin] Hey D, that was a good job.

- [Narrator] Kerry's ball hawking defense,

helps force a three and out.

Now with the ball,

coach Boldin radios up to offensive coordinator,

Damien Barry in the press box.

- I wanna take a shot with Jermaine in the next play coach.

- [Narrator] Coach Boldin wants to deploy

the team's most lethal offensive weapon,

number two, Jermaine Roberson.

- [Boldin] Yeah you off Jermaine.

Too late.

Oh! Good ball.

- [Narrator] But the pass, sails just out of reach.

- Field goal. - [Player] Field goal.

- [Narrator] Settling for a field goal,

it's now on Pahokee's defense to take control

and keep Clewiston out of the end zone.

(dramatic music)

But at the start of the second quarter,

the Tiger offense comes alive.

- [Man] Here we go.

- [Announcer] Down into the end zone,

touchdown Tigers.

- That's pitiful man.

- [Narrator] Pahokee's passing game continues to fumble

and coach Boldin's patience, is running thin.

- [Boldin] Wake up!

Man wake up.

I need no excuses.

Don't give me no excuses.

- [Narrator] Despite the Blue Devils' offensive struggles,

Kerry Mullins and the defense, continues to dominate.

Then a storm rolls over the stadium.

- [Announcer] It's raining pretty good.

- [Narrator] Making it difficult for defensive players

to plant their feet and make tackles.

And Clewiston catches the Pahokee D off-guard.

- [Boldin] Coach y'all can't see it?

Y'all can't see what's happening over there?

- [Narrator] Down by 11, coach Boldin and coach Barry,

make a bold move and change out quarterbacks.

- [Boldin] Jermaine, you're a quarterback Jermaine.

- [Narrator] On a wet field,

sure-footed runners like Roberson number two,

have an advantage over defenders

slowed down by the soapy Muck.

- [Jermaine] Our final play is, the quarterback drop

and nobody in the back field but me.

- [Announcer] Quarterback takes off up the middle,

he's still up, he's up.

- [Jermaine] I just catch it and run.

- [Announcer] He's gone, he's running.

To the 20, to the 10, to the 5,

touchdown.

- The quarterback broke loose

and took it all the way to the house.

And that's the thing is,

you gotta keep persevering, persevering, persevering.

- [Narrator] In reality, perseverance and wet conditions

was part of coach Boldin's original game plan.

- [Boldin] If it rained,

who was gonna make that quarterback adjustment

and it paid dividends for.

It was an adjustment that we anticipated,

we scored a touchdown off it.

(fans applauding)

- [Announcer] That's the end of the half folks.

- We did 'em a favor.

We gave them 14 points.

Don't get it confused,

we gave then 14 points.

You're angry?

Make it right.

(suspenseful music)

- [Narrator] Headed into the second half,

Pahokee continues to rely on Roberson

to run the offense.

Who makes plays with his feet,

- [Announcer] That's a beautiful, nitty move there.

- [Narrator] And his arm.

(suspenseful music)

- [Jermaine] I thought that was pretty good.

It's taken a lot of confidence to run that play.

- [Narrator] The touchdown pass,

puts Pahokee up three over Clewiston.

- Well they're doing fine,

a few little mistakes,

a little thing they need to tweak.

- Hold!

Man, hold!

Build a wall and hold.

Real simple.

- [Narrator] Now, it's up to the Pahokee defense

and their talisman, number nine, Kerry Mullins.

- [Announcer] He's met in the backfield,

led by number nine, Mr. Kerry Mullins.

He's up, he's up.

- [Boldin] We all right.

- [Narrator] The play of number five defensive end,

Frankie Burgess, also keeps Clewiston out of the end zone.

- [Kerry] When Frankie is on the field,

he's quiet but don't get him mad.

He like a rocket, he take out quick, zero to 100.

He can take of business.

- [Announcer] He's met in the back field, by number five,

Frankie Burgess.

- [Frankie] Like he knew it.

You know like, when it's time to work we gon' work.

- Let's go D.

- [Narrator] In the waning seconds of the last quarter,

Clewiston attempts a potentially game tying field goal

but the Tigers are so preoccupied trying to contain Frankie,

they let the rest of the Pahokee defenders through

and the kick is blocked.

Pahokee's offense is unable to capitalize.

(Boldin groans)

But Kerry Mullins and the defense

continue to hold their ground.

(suspenseful music)

Then with just over five minutes left

to play in the fourth quarter,

Jermaine Roberson drops back.

Offensive tackler, Scooter Kabir,

doesn't appear bothered by his broken pinkie

and he blocks to give Roberson plenty of time

to throw it deep to number three, Johnny Jones.

(suspenseful music)

- [Announcer] Touchdown.

(fans cheering)

- Hell of a game boy.

- [Announcer] Sugar Bowl goes to your Pahokee Blue Devils.

- [Narrator] For coach Boldin,

the Sugar Bowl is an important step

in making believers out of the Pahokee faithful.

- [Boldin] We stayed the course tonight,

we bought in, the kids bought in,

we knew adversity was gon' come,

we stayed the course and we delivered.

(players cheering)

- I think we were starting to come together

as an offense at the right time,

starting to push more,

starting to put on the right keys,

putting the right people in the right places,

just still got a long way to go

but we're still jolted as a team.

- Good game baby.

- He's finally getting these kids to understand the concept

of the offensive trying to run in.

- [Narrator] Senior Kerry Mullins,

comes off the field riding a wave of emotion.

- What's wrong baby?

- My last home game coach.

- It sure is boy, I love you boy.

Can't believe, you ball hard from day one.

I appreciate you man, I appreciate you.

This is happening because of you.

When everybody else wanted to waive on the course,

you stayed the course.

Against all odds you stayed the course man.

I appreciate you well God gon' bless you for it.

That's why we still gotta play our hopes.

Your football season ain't over yet.

It might not even be the last one here.

We gon' take care of Muck Bowl

you might get you another home game.

You hear me?

Love you man, good job.

There was no doubt on my mind,

we click in on all cylinders,

the guys are bought, my coaches are bought in,

now we see where the chips fall,

come next Friday.

- [Player] Pahokee pride on three, one, two, three.

- [Players] Pahokee Pride!

- [Kerry] I accomplished my career high,

16 tackles, five tackles for losses.

I mean it's huge 'cause you know,

a senior on Senior Night with 16 tackles,

that will raise some eyebrows for college scouts.

- [Narrator] But for Kerry,

playing the game of his life comes with a price.

- Saturday morning I feel like hell 'cause you know,

about me playing in linebacker position,

I'm always in contact every play so,

my body is taking a beating.

- [Narrator] As a thank you to Kerry and his teammates,

the Pahokee Church of God,

hosts a weekly team breakfast for the players.

- [Kerry] They do this every Saturday morning

after every game.

- The lemon bread look good.

- It's cause it's good.

All right, enjoy.

- Food good, you know you have some waffles, pancakes,

sausages, eggs, grapes and the orange juice.

Food is always good, they put a lot of love into the food.

They don't have to do this but they choose to.

- One of the things that came to my mind,

the word, opportunity.

Sometime opportunity come, one in a lifetime for you

that can change your whole entire life.

- [Narrator] After hearing Minister Queintin Wrisper speak,

coach Boldin reminds his players of the stakes

of the next week's game

and the chance for greatness that lies ahead.

- The most beautiful thing about it is,

you have the opportunity,

to change the outcome.

You have the opportunity to dictate, the outcome.

Everything is within your grasp.

(crowd applauding)

- [Narrator] Aside from the Muck Bowl,

during football season, the biggest event in Muck City,

id the annual kickball tournament,

pitting Pahokee and Glade Central Alumni,

against one another.

- We're here at Airport Park,

for our annual kickball game,

what we call a Hood Holiday.

(upbeat music)

- We've been doing this now for about five years or so

and it's gotten bigger each year.

- [Narrator] The event let's Steve Messam catch up

with old teammates,

but it's also an opportunity for him to spread the word

about the potential gold mine of renewable energy

growing right in their backyard.

- I'm here because I'm an alumni,

I'm here also talking to people

and letting them know about our campaign

and hopefully we can get more people engaged and active

and want to know more.

We'll love for you guys to maybe stop by one Tuesday,

we meet,

we got different events that we try to inform the community.

- I definitely will stop by.

- [Narrator] Not only does Steve Messam

hope to spread the word about his vision for the future,

he hopes to be a example to the youth in the Glades.

- One of the reasons I came home is,

I wanted to pour back into my community.

I had great leaders who poured into my life

when I was growing up,

who kee on a straightened arrow

and I just wanted to be an example,

I wanted to be a light for our community.

Hey, you can go out and be whoever you wanna be

and you can come back and be a blessing to your community.

- [Narrator] It's been nearly two decades

since Steve's playing days ended.

But he's still applying the life lessons he's learned

from those leaders and from playing on the Glade High

on Glade Central.

- [Steve] Most importantly, it gave me life skills.

I think football is one of the greatest sports

that teach you about character,

teach you about hard work, ethics,

competition, teamwork,

all the different things that you actually apply

into the real world.

(delightful music)

- [Narrator] Next time on 4th And Forever,

whispers of a rule's violation,

threaten to derail Glade Central's season.

- So all those games that player played in

have to be forfeited.

- [Narrator] And just before the Muck Bowl,

the historic rivalry,

suddenly takes on life and death stakes.

- Just for safety reasons, fur kids,

the game's gonna start a couple hours earlier.