Local kids from the Boys and Girls Club of Athens and Gladiator Youth Football take a group photo before their shopping spree with safety, Malaki Starks (24) of the University of Georgia football team. The partnership between Starks and Academy Sports + Outdoors took ten local youth on a $2,500 shopping spree for back-to-school gear and equipment in Athens, Georgia on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Photo/Samantha Hurley)
Malaki Starks is arguably one of the best football players in the country right now.
Just look at his 2023 campaign if you need further proof. He earned 2023 First Team All-American honors from AFCA, AP, CBS, ESPN and others, and was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski and Jim Thorpe Awards. In 2022, he was a First Team Freshman All-American and finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award while starting 14 of 15 games, recording 68 tackles and leading the team with seven pass breakups en route to a national championship.
Malakai Jackson, 7, holds his new shoes over his head and poses for a portrait during a shopping spree with safety, Malaki Starks (24) on the University of Georgia football team. The partnership between Starks and Academy Sports + Outdoors took ten local youth from Gladiator Youth Football and the Boys and Girls Club of Athens on a $2,500 shopping spree for back-to-school gear and equipment in Athens, Georgia on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Photo/Samantha Hurley)
However, what many people don’t know about Starks is that his character off the field is just as quality as his play on it.
On Tuesday, Starks and Academy Sports and Outdoors partnered up to treat 10 different children from Gladiator Youth Football and the Boys and Girls Club of Athens to a shopping spree before they headed back to school. Each youth athlete received a $250 Academy gift card to shop for “clothes, shoes, backpacks and the sports equipment they need to get ready for the 2024-2025 school year.”
My’aira Harris, 9, and Seyvion Harris, 12, play basketball with Malaki Starks. The partnership between Starks and Academy Sports + Outdoors took ten local youth from Gladiator Youth Football and the Boys and Girls Club of Athens on a $2,500 shopping spree for back-to-school gear and equipment in Athens, Georgia on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Photo/Samantha Hurley)
“When I was little I’d probably come to the store and buy two or three things,” Starks said about what events like the Academy shopping spree meant to him. “I couldn’t afford it, I really couldn’t. So just the platform that I was given through the sport of football and God has given me, it’s just a blessing to be able to come back and do things like this.
The event began at 6 p.m. and allowed for each child to take time with the star safety and shop for clothes and football equipment they needed for the upcoming year.
Cynthia Clark, grandmother of Tristan Evans, who shopped with Starks, was very appreciative of Starks’ time and generosity.
“Thank you so much for what you’re doing,” Clark said when asked what she would say to Starks. “A lot of kids, they can’t afford this, they’re really into sports, and you are a great example. Keep up the good work. God bless you and we love you.”
Jeremy Flenoy Jr., 6, plays basketball with Malaki Starks (24) on the University of Georgia football team. The partnership between Starks and Academy Sports + Outdoors took ten local youth from Gladiator Youth Football and the Boys and Girls Club of Athens on a $2,500 shopping spree for back-to-school gear and equipment in Athens, Georgia on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Photo/Samantha Hurley)
The appreciation didn’t stop there either, as several of the shoppers tagging along with Starks expressed that meeting him was their favorite part of the whole experience – besides picking out new gloves of course.
Jaden Turner, one of the children shopping, expressed his excitement to be spending time with Georgia football players.
“My favorite part of the event has been meeting Malaki,” Turner said. “I got some gloves and a new mouthpiece.”
Ky’rie Hills, 11, poses in his new bag picked out with safety, Malaki Starks (24) of the University of Georgia football team. The partnership between Starks and Academy Sports + Outdoors took ten local youth from Gladiator Youth Football and the Boys and Girls Club of Athens on a $2,500 shopping spree for back-to-school gear and equipment in Athens, Georgia on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Photo/Samantha Hurley)
The event concluded with the group rushing through checklanes to open their new items as fast as they could while the national championship-winning defender took pictures with onlooking fans. Starks’ and Academy’s donation ultimately helped give $2,500 back to youth football players and gave the up-and-coming stars a little extra confidence before the school year kicked off.