AFH Athlete Spotlight Archives - Athletes for Hope

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AFH Athlete Spotlight

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

NFL Draft prospect uses his voice to inspire children

University of New Hampshire running back Dylan Laube has spoken more in the last year than he ever has. As team captain, he motivated the Wildcats with pre-game speeches. As a draft prospect, he had tried to motivate NFL front offices to call his name in a few days.

Dylan Laube runs with the football at a University of New Hampshire game.

These are tall tasks for any draft prospect, especially one from an FCS school, but Laube also has a speech impediment. He connected with Athletes for Hope at the Senior Bowl, wanting to show kids with stutters that they can achieve anything that they set their minds to.

The spotlight has never shined brighter on 2024 NFL Draft prospect Dylan Laube. The New York native is a fifth-year player and played every season at UNH – an FCS (Division 1-AA) school that hasn’t had a player’s name called at the draft in 17 years.

These obstacles alone have deterred the dreams of many who put on a college football helmet, but not Laube. On top of these barriers from suiting up on Sundays, Dylan Laube has a stutter while playing a sport known for aggression and noise at the highest level. 

Instead of giving up, Laube has embraced being underrated, and making it to the NFL has always been his dream. Before this past season, his teammates nominated him to be a team captain, the highest honor on any team. This thrusted him into more public speaking than he was used to, but his teammates were supportive, listening to what he said, and not how he said it. He backed up his inspirational words by dominating all over the field.

Laube led the whole FCS in all-purpose yards his final two seasons at New Hampshire, weaving through tacklers, running every route in the playbook out of the backfield and even taking opposing punts and kickoffs to the house as a returner. After his final season, his hard work paid off as he garnered a multitude of awards at the conference and FCS level and was invited to the coveted Senior Bowl, where the best seniors in the nation (mostly FBS players from schools like Michigan and Alabama) prove their abilities to NFL scouts. 

Dylan Laube shows off his athleticism during a football game.

At the Senior Bowl, Laube didn’t just prove he could hang with the top competition in college football, he excelled against them. Off the field, like the rest of the players, he was peppered by reporters and scouts about his performance and how his versatility could translate to the NFL.

Constantly verbalizing his skillset to NFL teams throughout the pre-draft process made Laube more conscious of his stuttering and he decided that he wanted to be a role model for kids who stutter.

That’s where Athletes for Hope stepped in. Every year, Athletes for Hope runs workshops at the Senior Bowl helping the future pros understand their platform and the value of giving back to a cause they are passionate about. Laube seized the opportunity, actively participating in the general workshops, but then going the extra mile to approach AFH representatives about his newfound passion for helping kids who stutter.

Dylan Laube runs a route at the Senior bowl

I’ve never let anything pull me down in my life, especially my stutter. And during this pre-draft process, I’ve enjoyed every second of it. I’ve always wanted to make a difference and show younger generations that we all face challenges and it should never slow you down on pursuing your dreams.

Dylan Laube, NFL Draft Prospect

AFH helped Laube get involved for the first time by using their wide network of non-profit organizations across the country to pair him with Friends: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter. As the only nationwide non-profit organization dedicated solely to empowering young people who stutter and their families, Friends perfectly fits Laube’s goals off the field.

In the days leading up to the biggest days of his life, Laube took time out of his day crammed with workouts and Zoom meetings with NFL GMs to hop on a call with Friends’ Executive Director Caryn Herring to discuss how he could get involved in the organization.

Being someone who stutters can often feel isolating. Kids who stutter need to know that they are not alone and that they can live successful and courageous lives while stuttering. Seeing adults like Dylan openly stutter while following his dreams gives children a positive model for how to live with stuttering. Dylan’s involvement in Friends will help so many more kids who stutter find community, feel inspired to follow their dreams, and be encouraged to let their voices be heard.

Caryn Herring, Executive Director of Friends: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter
Dylan Laube shows off his skills at the NFL combine

We wish Dylan Laube all the best this week, no matter which team calls his name. They will be lucky to have someone who goes the extra mile for himself and others, on top of being an amazing football player.

AFH Athlete Spotlight

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

Elena Delle Donne Defies the Odds and Makes A Difference

In honor of Women’s History Month and Disability Awareness Month, Athletes for Hope (AFH) is proud to spotlight WNBA Champion, MVP and Olympic Gold Medalist, Elena Delle Donne. She has consistently used her platform to be a role model to young girls and her foundation raises money for her two main causes: Lyme disease awareness and differently-abled children.

Elena Delle Donne smiles with family members as she shows off her Olympic Gold Medal.

The Delaware sharpshooter has continuously stood out on the court as the number one recruit in her class, three-time high school state champion, a McDonald’s All-American, CAA rookie of the year and three-time CAA player of the year in three years of basketball at the University of Delaware, a number two overall pick, WNBA rookie of the year, two-time MVP, WNBA champion, the only WNBA player in the 50-40-90 club, member of the WNBA 25th Anniversary Team, the all-time best free throw shooter in WNBA history and an Olympic gold medalist for Team USA. 

What makes these achievements even more impressive is that Delle Donne has played with Lyme disease since her second year of college basketball. While she has persevered and dominated on the court, the chronic condition affects her daily as a professional athlete. Lyme disease has forced her to miss games throughout her career and take 64 pills each day to be healthy enough to compete. 

In 2014, she became the first National Ambassador for the Lyme Research Alliance and said “If I can be a voice and reach out to people and make them aware of the disease it will help.” Over the last ten years, she has been a leading voice for Lyme disease awareness, promoting affordable treatment and better diagnoses. In an interview with The Guardian, she stated 

“My personal experiences have opened up my eyes to the wide variety of challenges associated with Lyme and I want to do whatever I can to help others suffering. I think speaking out about an illness definitely takes some vulnerability and I wasn’t always comfortable doing it. I realized that speaking my truth and expressing my struggles has inspired others to continue to fight and realize they can still attain their dreams.”

Elena Delle Donne dribbles a basketball in a lime green room

Still, she felt she hadn’t done enough to help those afflicted the same way she was. In 2020, during the COVID pandemic, the WNBA looked to restart play in a bubble, but initially did not deem Delle Donne eligible to opt out and still receive pay due to being immunocompromised. The star used this wrongdoing as a way to spread awareness about Lyme disease in a Players Tribune article where she stated “I know that I need to help us get to a place with Lyme disease where what happened to me this past week never happens to anyone else.”

She now hosts an annual golf tournament for her foundation, the Elena Delle Donne Foundation, raising money and awareness for Lyme disease. The foundation also supports differently-abled children. This cause is especially important to Delle Donne because her older sister, Lizzie, was born with cerebral palsy and autism and is blind and deaf. Thus, Delle Donne can only communicate with her sister in person.

As the top prospect, Delle Donne initially committed and enrolled to play at a basketball powerhouse, but switched to Delaware and stepped away from basketball for a year to be closer to family. This same motive caused her to seek a trade from the Chicago Sky to the Washington Mystics who were a few hours away from Lizzie and home. She reflected in an ESPN article:

Elena Delle Donne with her sister, Lizzie.

“Growing up with my sister, I’ve always been able to realize this is a game, and the game of life is so much more important. You’ve got to follow your heart and your passion because if you don’t have that, it’s not worth doing what you’re doing. [Lizzie’s] been the one to help me realize to follow my path and do it your own way.”

Her strong bond with Lizzie always inspired her to give back to those who are differently-abled. Delle Donne graduated from the University of Delaware majoring in Special Education and always volunteered with kids with intellectual disabilities and in 2014, Delle Donne joined the Special Olympics as a Global Ambassador. She focused on their Motor Activity Training program (MATP) which helps give these children equal access to sports. She continuously makes time to coach Special Olympics children and specifically focuses on empowering more Special Olympics girls to start playing.

She earned the WNBA Cares Community Assist Award when she treated Matthew Walzer, a Special Olympian with cerebral palsy, to courtside seats at the all-star game while wearing accessible sneakers that Walzer customized. When the 2022 Orlando Special Olympics USA Games came around, Delle Donne volunteered to be a Games Ambassador, using her influence to spotlight the amazing athletes there.

Elena Delle Donne next to a Special Olympics District of Columbia sign.

Delle Donne not only combines her service passions through her foundation, but she also did so for her signature shoe the Nike Air Deldon which debuted in a lime green colorway for Lyme disease awareness and offers a collapsible heel and Velcro straps to provide easy access for differently-abled athletes.

On top of fighting for her causes, Delle Donne is a role model for so many young girls. She frequently hosts young girls in the Delaware area at her De11e Donne Academy and has even written a children’s book series for young girls based on her middle school experiences.

Elena Delle Donne has a genuine passion for the causes that she cares about which has positively impacted the lives of endless young girls, people with Lyme disease, and differently-abled children. Few players rival her on-court achievements, but Delle Donne shines even brighter off the court.

AFH Athlete Spotlight

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

St. Lucia Rugby Player Creates Change Through Coaching

Born in Castries, St.Lucia, Makeba Alcide is a professional dual-sport athlete who is passionate about giving back to her community in any way that she can. The former track and field athlete turned rugby player is busy coaching a new generation of St. Lucia athletes whose main focus is on giving back.

Alcide started her athletic journey at a very young age, falling in love with track & field in her early years.

“I fell in love with sports when I got the opportunity to race for the first time when I was 11 years old. It was the nerves, the thrill of not knowing what to expect, the hype of doing it for the first time and putting all that I had practiced into the race. The moment I got on the start line for my first ever race I fell in love and never turned back.”

During her time in track & field, Alcide competed as an indoor pentathlete and outdoor heptathlete. Among all of the events that she competed in, the high jump was her favorite. Before hanging up her spikes in 2018, Alcide had won both the South-Eastern Conference Indoor and Outdoor titles, broke the NCAA Indoor Penthalon record, and came second overall at the 2007 CARIFTA Games in St. Lucia.

Her time as a track & field athlete not only created history for St.Lucia and the Organization of Caribbean States (OECS), but it also introduced her to her very first coach who would change the trajectory of Alcide’s philanthropic journey.

Alcide credits her first coach as the reason she gives back to her community so heavily, noting that if her coach hadn’t volunteered his time to coach her, life would have been different than it is now. For Alcide, sports have transformed her life.

“Sports changed my life and I give back with the hope that I can continue to change lives. I think that athletes have a huge role to play in using their platform to not only advocate but to give back. I realized this fairly young because I am from a small island so not many of us get out, so to be able to create impact not only on the field but off the field is super important to me.”

In 2020 Alcide began a new athletic journey, this time with the sport of rugby. After being asked to check out some beach rugby workouts, Alcide found herself at the Renegades Rugby Club in St.Lucia where she participated in small local tournaments. Shortly after in 2022, Alcide was named to the St. Lucia National Team for the 2022 RAN Super 7s Tournament where she would have participated in her very first international competition had it not been postponed.

Today, Alcide continues to play rugby and has stepped into a new role as a volunteer coach to local track and field athletes in St. Lucia. As a coach, Alcide is able to work with young kids from at risk communities in St.Lucia, providing them with the tools they need to compete as athletes and the opportunity to give back through volunteer work.

“We don’t only do sports. The aim is to create holistic individuals by providing these young athletes with opportunities to give back to the community through volunteer work with the elderly or for example our yearly Christmas Hamper drive where we give to those less fortunate in the community where we train.”

A favorite community project of Alcide’s is the yearly Christmas Hamper Drive. Even though the drive is a newer community service project it brings together young athletes outside of their sport and gives them an opportunity to grow as a team, understand the value of civic duty and impact lives all at the same time.

For athletes who may be just starting their philanthropic journey or who need encouragement taking the first step, Alcide has this message to share:

“Just do it. It honestly doesnt have to be a huge, big, extravagant thing. No matter how small of an impact you can create do it. No act of kindness is too small for the person receiving it.”

AFH Athlete Spotlight

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

North Carolina Native Bobsleds Towards Brighter Tomorrow

A driving force behind Team USA Bobsled, Adrian Adams is getting a second opportunity to live out the ‘American Dream’ as he follows in his father’s footsteps.

Growing up in Reidsville, North Carolina, Adams began his athletic pursuits from a young age. He was an all-star on his high school varsity football team, helping them to win back-to-back championships in 2002 and 2003.

His football achievements eventually led him to North Carolina A&T University, where he found himself underneath the stadium lights again as a wide receiver and once graduated he began playing arena football.

Now, he is chasing a dream that is ‘bigger than himself’ with USA Bobsled, falling in love with the sport almost instantaneously.

“Immediately after my first trip down in a bobsled, I was ready to go again,” said Adams. “I grew up loving rollercoaster rides and this felt like that x20.”

Adams began the sport of bobsled in mid-2012, following in his father, Randy Russell’s, footsteps. Russell competed in the sport from the 1990’s to mid-2000 and it was from his encouragement that Adams decided to eventually try out for the team.

Since becoming a fierce bobsled competitor, Adams has become an 8x National Team Member, 4x World Championships Team Member, 2022 2-man IBSF World Push Champion, and 2022 4-man IBSF World Push Champion, with numerous gold and silver medals for 2-man and 4-man in North American Cup races.

Despite the accolades, Adams says his greatest strength comes from his community.

From day one Adams says he recognized how much of an influence he had as an athlete to create positive change in his community, and from day one, he has done just that.

At his 9 to 5, he works at a therapeutic boarding school for boys. Here he helps turn around and change young men’s paths back on the right track.

“Kids can look at someone such as myself and story to be or stay encouraged,” Adams said. “I give back simply because without my community I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’m passionate about where I’m from, I want to inspire kids to try different sports and things.”

His advice to athletes who want to give back but are lost on where to start? It’s not a matter of how, it’s a matter of just doing it.

Even with his busy schedule, Adams recognizes that to give back means sometimes he must go out of his way to make things happen.

Over the summer Adams and other Team USA Bobsled & Skeleton teammates met in Charlotte, North Carolina, for an Athletes for Hope workshop and four-part service project where he was able to partake in his favorite service project yet with Dream On 3.

During the service project, he golfed and interacted with over 65 children and their families at Top Golf from Take On Sports, an organization that focuses on providing sports and competition for youth and adults with physical and/or intellectual challenges.

What is in store next for Adams and his community? That is to be determined; however, Adams says he looks forward to continuing to serve whenever and however he can.

Mental Health Athlete Spotlight

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

Boston College multi-sport athlete understands the importance of balance

Boston College multi-sport athlete Sydney Segalla may only be a sophomore, but the soccer and track star has already carved out a key role in both programs at her school. The 19-year-old committed to Boston College at the age of 15 and didn’t start running track until her senior year of high school, but her athletic ability was of no doubt to coaches. 

Sydney Segalla is photographed on the track in lane 7 as she gets set to run.

“Since I was already going to Boston College, the track coach just kind of reached out to me and was like since you’re already here, do you want to run track too?” Segalla said. 

Segalla comes from a family of athletes with a dad who played baseball at Quinnipiac University and a sister who played six years of soccer at West Virginia. The recruiting and training process for her and her two little sisters had been made easier because of the family’s experience, but two Division I sports at once is no easy task. 

Segalla has switched between positions on the soccer field and events in track, filling holes left by graduating players or injured teammates. As a freshman, she even helped break the program record in the 4×400-meter relay. 

“I remember as we went to Louisville for ACC indoors for track,” she said. “I flew back a day earlier than everyone and played in the game versus Northeastern for soccer the next day.”

It is this dedication that has allowed Segalla to perform at such a high level. She stays conditioned year-round and continues to make technical strides in each of her sports. The physical attributes are prevalent, but the mental aspect is the most difficult part. 

Boston College soccer player Sydney Segalla photographed juggling a soccer ball during a match.

To combat the pressures of high performance and a busy schedule. Segalla’s secret to success is so simple yet oftentimes overlooked- sleep. She has felt mentally drained during the season, but a consistent sleep schedule goes a long way in keeping her healthy and happy. 

“We have a lot of sports psychologists that like they’ve even reached out to me because they were like, ‘We know you have a lot going on if you really wanna chat,’” she added. 

Her journey has by no means been a solo battle either. Her coaches and advisors are constantly supporting Segalla to be the best athlete and person she can be while remaining mindful of her mental health. 

“[My soccer coach] was always open to me running track if he knew there was a possibility of me being successful,” she said. 

Sydney Segalla photographed with teammates Cleary and Krawczyk at the ACC Championships.

When she isn’t around her teammates, Segalla finds herself trying to relax and take her mind off of sports. She is constantly in practice and working out, so it can almost be a breath of fresh air away from the field or track. 

That being said, she knows she loves the competition and the idea of improving herself day in and day out. 

“I feel like I just kept running myself to the ground when I didn’t need to,” she said.”People understand you need a break. Don’t be afraid. I ask my coaches sometimes ‘Hey guys, I need to take the day off’ and people understand that.”

Athletics is more than just physical ability, and Sydney Segalla knows that in order to break more program milestones she is going to need to be aware of how she is feeling. Peak performance is not about burning yourself out, but consistently making sure you can maintain the level of activity you strive for. 

Segalla does just that.

Olympic Athlete Spotlight

Posted: Updated: by Hannah Bronkema

Former Brazilian soccer star is helping create a special future in Arizona 

Growing up in Brazil, Alessandra “Alex” Sachs felt a sense of community from an early age. The future Brazilian Women’s Soccer Olympian would play soccer on the blacktop with groups of boys. At six years old, she was one of the youngest players and the only girl participating. 

Alex enjoyed running for the ball and fighting for position on the blacktop. 

Today, this same fiery passion has her fighting for her community in Arizona. She felt a sense of purpose on the blacktop, then on the field, and now she finds purpose in helping others. 

Alex Sachs poses for a photo with the Phoenix Suns mascot, a gorilla, at a Suns 88 event.

“Throughout my career, I have always volunteered or helped out in some capacity, but when I was accepted to Valley Leadership and Suns 88, I realized that I could be a catalyst for change,” Alex said. “A great opportunity for my actions and my voice to make a positive impact in my community.”

Valley Leadership is a non-profit organization that is built around empowering Arizonans to become leaders in the community. Meanwhile, Suns 88 raises money for children in the region. 

As an Olympian and a Brazilian Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, Alex has developed a platform through which she can help others. Her goal was never solely to succeed in sport, but to make an impact outside of soccer as well. 

“Aryton Senna inspired me,” Alex said. “Even with him gone 29 years, I still feel his presence. He taught me to be an advocate, a humanitarian, and a proud Brazilian.”

She has fulfilled each of these missions. 

Alex has worked throughout Arizona to help many different groups, including partnering with United Healthcare to create an “all girls soccer day” or beautifying Title 1 elementary school playgrounds alongside Playworks Arizona. 

Alex Sachs smiles while opening up a paint during a community service event with Playworks Arizona

Today, she works with Special Olympics Arizona and Law Enforcement Torch Run to promote a sense of camaraderie between law enforcement and community members. 

Alex’s trajectory from a premier soccer icon to an established advocate and activist is living proof that a goal and drive can be used as tools to better the world around us. 

The same girl that was the only female on the blacktop now runs camps and clinics where dozens of 4th and 5th-grade girls are introduced to soccer and receive gear to further their journeys within the sport. 

It is not just the youth she is helping, though. 

“Look around you and see what is happening in your community,” Alex said. “An example is I realized that many seniors in my community were isolated and lonely, so I create through my work at SPD and in partnership with the Via Linda Senior Center a Senior Walking Club. There is no better feeling than seeing another human being smile and say thank you.”

Alex Sachs smiles behind a table full of collected non perishable items

Pride and passion go hand in hand and Alex personifies the potential for athletes to be the change they wish to see in the world. 

From the community in Brazil to communities throughout Arizona, Alex is leaving a legacy that far surpasses her impressive career resume. All it took was a vision.