Special to Alachua County Today
GTM offers football and cheerleading opportunities to area youth with the goal of positively impacting their lives. Members of one of the organization's football teams celebrate a team victory earlier in the season.
Several young boys eagerly waited to receive their trophies at the GTM Football banquet last Friday.
“Those kids itch in their seats from the time they walk in and see the trophies until they actually receive them,” said Coach Alden Crawford.
Crawford is one of four founders and partners of the Gainesville Greater Than Me (GTM) Black Stallions football and cheerleading organization along with President Savonte Hunt, Andre Hunt and Willie Britt.
Savonte said the motivation for starting the team in 2014 was to make an impact on children’s lives.
“We want to be a positive influence, to give them some values, and to teach the boys how to be men,” he said.
Crawford concurred, saying the popularity of football helps attract youth.
“We wanted a way to get the attention of the kids in the community, with a huge focus on the younger minority males,” he said. “We want to express the right values of life and provide a family environment for them.”
GTM, currently working with about 85 boys aged 5 to 14, was the brainchild of Savonte, older brother Andre and Crawford.
The Hunt brothers are from Archer and played high school football with Crawford at Buchholz. Savonte and Crawford are the same age, and both continued their playing careers at Concordia University in Chicago.
After graduating in 2012, they returned home with visions of what would become GTM already in mind.
“We really wanted to get a youth center in Archer and tried to get a team there, too, but that didn’t happen,” Savonte said. “But we play all our home games with GTM in Archer at Wilson Robinson Park and have a great relationship with the City.”
Savonte, Andre and Crawford at first started coaching with the Northwest Boys and Girls Club in Gainesville, where they met Britt. Crawford said it was after their first season with the Club that they decided to take a chance with their own venture.
“A parent approached Savonte and Andre and asked them, ‘Whatever happened to y’all starting your own thing with the kids?’ She pretty much told us that she and her husband supported us, and from there we took action,” he said.
GTM operated four teams this past season, one each at the 6-and-under, 8-and-under, 10-and-under, and 12-and-under age levels. Savonte said this coming season, which begins in July, will see the addition of a 14-and-under team.
He said the meaning behind the name “Greater Than Me” comes from a desire to make other people better.
“The idea of ‘pay it forward,’ that’s the perfect way to say it,” he said. “You make the kids greater than yourself. It’s a world changing idea. If you make a kid greater than you, then he makes someone greater than him, then obviously you’re going to end up with a better world.”
That motivation naturally lends itself to instilling a hard work ethic and drives the organization to seek out the toughest competition, Crawford said.
“On the football side of things, it better prepares the kids to move on as they get older,” he said. “It teaches them to compete.”
GTM participates in the United Youth Football League, but Savonte stated that the desire to play against the best has led to scheduling games with teams from the Boys and Girls Club and Pop Warner in the past.
“We end up playing about 15 games from July to December; it’s a long season,” he said. “But we work to get our kids on bigger stages, get noticed and win championships at the highest levels.”
He was quick to note that volunteers are more than welcome.
“We have about 12 coaches, three per team, and it’s still not enough,” he said. “We’d love people to volunteer, even if it’s just coming out one time to speak to the kids and let them know that there are people who care about them.”
The banquet provided such an opportunity for current Gator defensive backs Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson, who spoke to the kids about the importance of family and school in order to compete at a top college football program.
GTM can be contacted by phone at 352-642-4121, email at gtmblackstallions@yahoo.com, and as “Gainesville GTM Black Stallions” on Facebook.
# # #
Email Dwisener@
alachuatoday.com
Special to Alachua County Today
GTM offers football and cheerleading opportunities to area youth with the goal of positively impacting their lives. Members of one of the organization's football teams celebrate a team victory earlier in the season.
Several young boys eagerly waited to receive their trophies at the GTM Football banquet last Friday.
“Those kids itch in their seats from the time they walk in and see the trophies until they actually receive them,” said Coach Alden Crawford.
Crawford is one of four founders and partners of the Gainesville Greater Than Me (GTM) Black Stallions football and cheerleading organization along with President Savonte Hunt, Andre Hunt and Willie Britt.
Savonte said the motivation for starting the team in 2014 was to make an impact on children’s lives.
“We want to be a positive influence, to give them some values, and to teach the boys how to be men,” he said.
Crawford concurred, saying the popularity of football helps attract youth.
“We wanted a way to get the attention of the kids in the community, with a huge focus on the younger minority males,” he said. “We want to express the right values of life and provide a family environment for them.”
GTM, currently working with about 85 boys aged 5 to 14, was the brainchild of Savonte, older brother Andre and Crawford.
The Hunt brothers are from Archer and played high school football with Crawford at Buchholz. Savonte and Crawford are the same age, and both continued their playing careers at Concordia University in Chicago.
After graduating in 2012, they returned home with visions of what would become GTM already in mind.
“We really wanted to get a youth center in Archer and tried to get a team there, too, but that didn’t happen,” Savonte said. “But we play all our home games with GTM in Archer at Wilson Robinson Park and have a great relationship with the City.”
Savonte, Andre and Crawford at first started coaching with the Northwest Boys and Girls Club in Gainesville, where they met Britt. Crawford said it was after their first season with the Club that they decided to take a chance with their own venture.
“A parent approached Savonte and Andre and asked them, ‘Whatever happened to y’all starting your own thing with the kids?’ She pretty much told us that she and her husband supported us, and from there we took action,” he said.
GTM operated four teams this past season, one each at the 6-and-under, 8-and-under, 10-and-under, and 12-and-under age levels. Savonte said this coming season, which begins in July, will see the addition of a 14-and-under team.
He said the meaning behind the name “Greater Than Me” comes from a desire to make other people better.
“The idea of ‘pay it forward,’ that’s the perfect way to say it,” he said. “You make the kids greater than yourself. It’s a world changing idea. If you make a kid greater than you, then he makes someone greater than him, then obviously you’re going to end up with a better world.”
That motivation naturally lends itself to instilling a hard work ethic and drives the organization to seek out the toughest competition, Crawford said.
“On the football side of things, it better prepares the kids to move on as they get older,” he said. “It teaches them to compete.”
GTM participates in the United Youth Football League, but Savonte stated that the desire to play against the best has led to scheduling games with teams from the Boys and Girls Club and Pop Warner in the past.
“We end up playing about 15 games from July to December; it’s a long season,” he said. “But we work to get our kids on bigger stages, get noticed and win championships at the highest levels.”
He was quick to note that volunteers are more than welcome.
“We have about 12 coaches, three per team, and it’s still not enough,” he said. “We’d love people to volunteer, even if it’s just coming out one time to speak to the kids and let them know that there are people who care about them.”
The banquet provided such an opportunity for current Gator defensive backs Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson, who spoke to the kids about the importance of family and school in order to compete at a top college football program.
GTM can be contacted by phone at 352-642-4121, email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and as “Gainesville GTM Black Stallions” on Facebook.
# # #
Email Dwisener@
alachuatoday.com