WYNNE — Wynne Yellowjackets football welcomed motivational speaker and Memphis-based musician Project Pat to speak to the team Thursday afternoon.
The event was coordinated by Wynne Police Chief Richard Dennis and the Wynne Fumble Club. Chief Dennis used connections he’s made in order to bring Project Pat to the city.
“He’s got a Go Foundation that he goes into men’s and women’s prison facilities and juvenile facilities and talks to them about changing their life, coming to know Jesus Christ and using his life as an example,” Chief Dennis said.
Before becoming one of the Bluff City’s best-known rappers, Project Pat (real name Patrick Houston) spent time in state and federal prison for aggravated robbery, illegally carrying a weapon, and violating his parole. After being saved, he began the non-profit Go Foundation prison ministry in 2020.
Chief Dennis said he approached Wynne Yellowjackets football coach Clay Totty and the Wynne Fumble Club about bringing Project Pat to speak to the team.
“The Fumble Club stepped up and said, ‘Hey, man, we’re in,’ Chief Dennis said. “(They) cooked catfish, fries, beans. The mayor (Jennifer Hobbs) did two big pans of bread pudding and six or eight lemon ice box pies.”
Chief Dennis said Project Pat’s visit was kept hush-hush because they wanted to keep it focused on the student-athletes and staff of the football team. He noted the visit was timed to the start of spring football next week, and was a reward for the players after everything they have had to overcome.
“We’ve got two ex-football coaches from Wynne 10 miles south and 10 miles north,” he said. “They’re going to try to get our athletes to come play. We want to keep them here, and we also want our kids to have discipline, to be men outside of football.
“If there’s no discipline on the football field, there’s not going to be any discipline in life,” Chief Dennis added. “I think our coaches are teaching our kids about discipline on the football field that carries over to discipline in life.”
The Go Foundation can be contacted by email at GoFoundation9@gmail.com or by writing to the Go Foundation, 857 W. Poplar #182, Suite 23, Collierville, TN 38017.
