/>Our Mission
“Sports World is sending former professional athletes to share personal life experiences with students, helping them to recognize the consequences of their choices while challenging them with the Message of Hope.”
Our History
In 1978 lead by its founder, former NFL chaplain Dr. Ira Lee Eshelman
, Sports World, Inc. began to schedule NFL players into school assembly programs. “Doc’s” mission was to send former professional athletes to share personal life experiences with students, helping them to recognize the consequences of their choices while challenging them with the Message of Hope. Because of their athletic backgrounds, these players were able to capture the attention and hearts of students nationwide.
Today, the mission is the same. Sports World challenges over half a million students, teachers and administrators with the Message of Hope each year. Sports World Pros are trained speakers and can communicate to students how they have overcome hurdles to achieve victory in life. These hurdles include some of life’s disappointments that many students face. Each of these former NFL players has been able to accomplish what few athletes have by not only reaching the top of the college ranks in football, but also making it to the pros. They know what it takes to do one’s best and share this with students around the country.