Rev. Clinton T. Brewster Helps Athletes: His Mentee Inspired By Former Raider

Commitment, Character and Challenges are Met with Wisdom

In a broad sense, one who seeks to help others toward deliverance, redemption and excellence must also tread the “road less traveled.” Robert Frost, the great poet, gave an example:

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

Rev. Clinton T. Brewster knows the way to success. It has made all the difference in his career and in the lives of those he helps at Texas Southern University. He is committed to helping other young men travel a road to become whole men.

Not just athletes with physicality, but men who have wisdom and character for a powerful life after athletics.

Rev. Brewster says, “In the past three years I have served as the Chaplain of Texas Southern University Football.” The scope of his program extends to young people still in middle school and high school. He adds, ”This mentoring program has touched the lives of more than 150 young people by providing back to school supplies and winter coats.”

At the collegiate level, his program has helped hundreds of college students, usually athletes, during his three years at TSU.

Rev. Brewster added that a former coach hired the current head coach, Johnnie Cole. Then, Cole hired Rev. Brewster. The mission included provision of values and principles to prepare young men for an effective football career at the collegiate level into professional football. Rev. Brewster’s testimony includes his own restoration and “call” to help others.

His outreach has touched young men like Mike Shelton. Shelton, too, is honest about life challenges. He wants to encourage those who are concerned about him and others.

Under the wise counsel of Rev. Brewster, Shelton participates in the program while also desiring to become adept at providing a support system to his peer group.

Many young men who need counseling to “stay the course” on a strait and narrow path are apart of Rev. Brewster’s program. Shelton’s collegiate and athlete experiences at TSU have been enriched by Rev. Brewster’s counsel.

As a former quarterback for the TSU football team, Rev. Brewster knows the challenges of being a popular football player on a college campus. His preparation includes the following, according to a post on his website:

“Rev. Clinton T. Brewster is the founder and organizer of Mighty Men Mentoring. He became endeared to the challenges and pitfalls of today’s youth by experiencing some of those himself.

Beginning in his days as quarterback for Texas Southern University, until now, he is living proof that God has a purpose for all lives. As a native of Texarkana, Arkansas and a proud graduate of Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas, Rev. Brewster is aware of what can happen when spiritual guidance and involvement by a caring adult are missing from a child’s life.

Rev. Brewster attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary seeking a Masters of Divinity degree, with a concentration in youth ministry. He uses the discipline and skills learned through organized sports, a college education, study of the bible, and his own life experiences to teach young people how to rise above by using sound thinking and the principles of God.”

The needs of the young men at TSU are in several areas. Values, character development, and other attributes are enriched by Rev. Brewster’s knowledge and faith. He is the chaplain of the Texas Southern University football team. He works as a volunteer, but his dedication is unwavering.  He also administers a non-profit organization with a mission to counsel and guide young men who aspire to be outstanding athletes.

The value of Rev. Brewster’s work is validated by Mike Shelton, who said: “Like Rev. Brewster I was given another chance by Coach Johnnie Cole and the coaching staff at TSU.

I just want to make things right on my end and the only way I can do this, is by giving my own living testimony and hope it can touch somebody else (like Warren Wells story touched me) to pull themselves out the hole...

I think its amazing that there is a university like TSU and Coach Cole that takes troubled children with past histories and grooms them to be young men. So many universities turn down these same student athletes.”

Shelton added: "Life is not perfect and neither are we. No matter what the situation you may have gotten yourself into, that does not define you as a person.”
                         
Shelton’s growth and increasing wisdom is demonstrated by his quote:

"I can give you a thousand reasons why I'm not suppose to succeed in life, but I'm going to show you a million that I will."

Shelton does Bible study on a regular basis with Rev. Brewster and others in the TSU program. The impact and dimension of the knowledge and wisdom shared by Rev. Brewster is the stuff that transforms athletic boys to men of strong character.

We salute Texas Southern University and head coach Johnnie Cole for the design of their football program. Since the team has made history in 2010, it seems only right to acknowledge the depth and rich content of the education the young athletes are pursuing.

Educating the “whole man” is what the plan includes. Certainly, building a strong character in these young men is strongly correlated with a fruitful and secure future in football and in their life off the field and after their playing days end.

The education these young men get at TSU promises a more stable future for them.

At the brink of a historical moment for the TSU football program, Rev. Brewster is able to share testimonies of those who have been helped. Let's hope that young people learn lessons from the seniors and people like Rev. Brewster so that their way is smooth and positive during their career, and in their life after college and professional football.

TESTIMONIALS

I believe I benefited a lot from reverend Brewster’s program. It helped me set my goals and helped me move towards achieving them. At first I didn’t think it was needed but he helped me believe that a change of attitude would help me on and off the field. Also I think I grew mentally.

For example when I left my previous school I had a bad outlook on a lot of things, including people’s motives. I had to learn to see my errors first instead of those of others. I think if I would have had this type counseling during my earlier years I would have been a whole better off.

But not to say that I have regrets because being at TSU has taught me how to fight through adversity and how to go about being a black man in society. College is the last step to the real world it’s hard but worth it.

—Charles Smith

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Growing up in a "Urban Community" can either do one or or things to a child. Its either go the right way or a turn to a life a crime, but in most cases there's always a problem for the ones who actually go the right way. I learned first hand that ones past will always come to the light if you don't deal with your past problems, I harbored so many bad thoughts from my past that i didn't recognize i was hurting myself. 

That's where Reverend Brewster's program comes into play. The program taught me to forgive, and forget, then start to rebuild the broken relationship that emotionally scorned you through your life. Once you get past those phases, you'll begin to notice things; for me it was major sigh of relief, I started smiling more, performing better on the field, and the class room, but the most important one to me was the strengthening of my relationship with Christ.

—Marcus Wright

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The Mighty Men Mentoring program has made a great difference in my life. When I came to TSU I wasn’t really sure if I was coming or going. I had made some mistakes that were embarrassing for my family as well as for me.

After I got to TSU it still appeared that I was struggling to get on the right track. However after I was placed under the mentorship of Rev. Brewster, from time to time I could still feel myself pulling away. But by the end of the program, I feel that I have finally figured out what direction I want to go in with my life. I find myself thriving more to be great on the football field as well as in the classroom.

I recently received the recognition of The National Honor Society for the 09/10 school year, of which I was not really expecting. I am hungrier for football now, and can’t wait till the season begins. I feel that with God, the support of Rev. Brewster and great coaches, they have all helped me to figure out which direction I want my life to go in.

I feel that I could now help others that are struggling to get there life on the right track, spiritual and unspiritual. I grew up in a church home, in my later years Harvest Time Church under the leader ship of Bishop Shelton Bady; however being away in college and not attended church is a struggle with your spiritual life, but Rev. Brewster has helped me in many ways to reconnect with God.

I feel the connection because; I am humble when I know that I would have been at my worst. I would advise any young man that is struggling with life, to connect with Rev. Brewster and the Mighty Men Mentoring program, it definitely helped me.

—Anthony Lewis

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