About Athletes for Life

Athletes for Life™ is a non-profit organization (501 C3 status) that has been providing guidance and leadership programs to young athletes since 1989. The AFL was founded by former NFL All-Star running back, Greg Bell who spent his childhood rising above the negative peer pressures of his neighborhood. He became a world-class athlete at the University of Notre Dame and went on to enjoy a productive ten year career in the NFL. 

The mission for AFL is to nurture the development of physical skills and good character of our youngsters while providing a strong message on living an alcohol and drug free lifestyle. In addition to mentoring and offering physical training sessions to more than 750 teens annually, an extensive list of professional athletes give of their time and effort by participating in AFL speaking engagements and youth conferences. With the unwavering support of many dedicated people, AFL has provided life-changing experiences for youth throughout the United States. Among our many accomplishments, throughout the past twenty years we have been able to sponsor children to attend the Michael Jordan Flight School, share a heart felt message to our participants from Jerome Bettis and create the opportunity for several youngsters to attend the Super Bowl.

AFL's belief is that helping our youth establish a strong self-image and sense of character will aid them in handling many of the social and personal issues that will arise throughout their lives. We are confident that they will become leaders amongst their peers and be able to help others handle the perils of peer pressure. By providing them with true-life skills, we can support them in becoming productive members of our society. When attending an AFL Youth Conferences, children learn these life skills through sports, which we feel will foster more positive choices later in life. Whether a child aspires to become an auto mechanic, an astronaut, or a professional athlete, he or she needs guidance, support, and the proper tools to make that dream come true.

AFL leads by example, demonstrating the success that comes by completing higher education goals and remaining drug free. At AFL the choice is, "Yes, To Life".

History

1984 — Upon graduating from the University of Notre Dame, Greg Bell is selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the draft.

1985 — Greg Bell named state spokesperson by Governor Mario Cuomo for New York State’s program “Athletes Against Drunk Driving and Drug Abuse.”

1986 — First Lady, Nancy Reagan, offers Mario Cuomo his just accolades and honors the Athletes Against Drunk Driving and Drug Abuse (AADDDA) as one of the top youth programs in the U.S.

1987 — AADDDA is honored by President Ronald Reagan. Greg Bell is traded to the Los Angeles Rams.

1989 — Greg Bell’s college teammate and dear friend, Stacey Toran, dies in a drunk driving accident, facilitating the creation of the Athletes for Life Foundation.

Stacey Toran

1990 — California Governor Jerry Brown honors AFL for its work in the state of California.

1991 — Nancy Reagan, asks Greg Bell to serve with her, as California representative for
“Just Say No.”

1992 — AFL creates its mentoring program with four school districts, assisting with job development and student community enhancement. The Drug Enforcement Agency asks Greg Bell to be its national spokesperson for their program “Demand Reduction”.

1997 — AFL sponsors several minors to attend the inaugural Michael Jordan Flight School in Santa Barbara, Ca. To date, AFL has sponsored more than 150 youth to the Jordan Flight School Camp.

Over the past 10 years, AFL has sponsored over 200 kids to the Michael Jordan Flight School.

2006 — Athletes for Life, in association with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, announces the collaboration of a series of events designed to expose the Central Coast youth to the joy of playing football.

• AFL hosts its first ever NFL/ Pepsi Punt, Pass & Kick Contest at Santa Ynez HS.
• AFL served as a scholarship donor for the John Wooden Classic, donating $1,500 to the local scholarship award winner.

John Wooden, AFL Board member Ron King and Greg Bell at the donation ceremony.

2007 — AFL hosts its first ever Athletes for Life Football Academy Football Camp in Santa Barbara County hosting more than 250 participants over the course of six days.

• AFL hosts NFL sponsored Junior Player Development Football Program in Santa Ynez, Ca.
• AFL founder, Greg Bell, sits as Chairman for the City of Fontana, as they raise $500,000 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Children library.

Fontana Golf Tournament 2007

AFL adds two more cities to its NFL sponsored JPD and HSPD Youth Conference sites. In May of 2008 AFL will host a JPD Youth Conference in Columbus, Ohio and in June, it will host both Youth Conferences in Rialto, Ca.

2008 — Athletes for Life is asked to speak to more than 9,000 grade school age youth by the school district of Adelanto, CA. Greg Bell met and spoke with the students of Adelanto Unified School District over a 3 month period.

2008 — Athletes for Life with the support of Mount Carmel Hospital, host the first ever AFL sponsored NFL JPD Youth Conferences in Columbus, OH.

2008 — Greg Bell, Tony Dorsett and many other celebrities stop out to support Athletes for Life and the Kiwanis Club of E. Rialto as the host of a cocktail party to raise funds for the first ever AFL hosted NFL JPD and HSPD Youth Conferences at California State University of San Bernardino.

Shown here at the far left is AFL founder, Greg Bell, Scott Beard of Gerald Beard Realty, Randall Lewis of Lewis Companies, San Bernardino Mayor Patrick Morris and NFL Hall of Famer, Tony Dorsett of the Dallas Cowboys. (Photo courtesy B. McGee)

2009 — Athletes for Life sponsored Super Bowl Raffle. Athletes for Life Foundation helped with the launch of the "New" Tri Valley Football Conference (TVYFC) for Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties.  TVYFC was one of four charities that took part in the AFL Super Bowl Experience.

Here, David Little of Oxnard, 2009 Super Bowl Raffle Winner receives tickets from Ojai YFL President Brian Wadsworth (ticket purchase from OYFL).

 

 

 

 

 

2009 — Greg Bell, Jerome Bettis stop by Rialto Unified School District office to say hello and stop in for lunch with Superintendent Dr. Harold Ceburn. Jerome Bettis was in town to support Athletes for Life and the Kiwanis Club of E. Rialto as the host of a cocktail party to raise funds for the Annual Athletes for Life Junior Player Development and NFL's High School Player Development Youth Conferences at California State University of San Bernardino. This year's youth conference is the largest free youth conferences hosted by NFL retired players and high school and youth football coaches in SoCal.

2009/2010 — Athletes for Life takes over the Rialto Unified School District's (RUSD) After School Education and Safety Program.  Athletes for Life serves all five (5) Middle Schools for the district, providing homework assistance, educational enrichment and a structured physical activity program. The program is state and federally funded through the 21st Century grant and is required to operate for 180 school days between the hours of 3pm to 6pm.

2010/2011 — Athletes for Life continues working with the RUSD and the Rialto Sports Program. Focus here is on hosting weekend sports programs to enhance the physical activity of the middle school students.

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