GREY RUEGAMER: MAKING A BIGTIME PLAY IN KIDS’ LIVES…”ONE BOOK AT A TIME”
Two-time Super Bowl champ. Book lover. Perennial prankster. Hard worker. Born educator… All solid descriptors for 10-year NFL vet Grey Ruegamer, who has blended a passion for reading, a concern for the effectiveness of elementary school education, and a forward-thinking spirit to create “Ruegy’s Readers,” a program which provides funding and support of public and private elementary school libraries, emphasizing “the significance of reading as a lifelong skill.”
Grey blocking for QB Eli Manning
PHOTO: Grey & Laurie Ruegamer
Chatting on the phone with Grey Ruegamer, it felt more like he and I were having a beer at a neighborhood bar–rather than the latter sitting in San Francisco with a laptop and the former driving around Southern California on errands. With his trademark laid-back-yet-mischievous energy, Grey filled Hugbacker in on how he and wife Laurie created Ruegy’s Readers to make a difference for elementary school children–both in his former team city of Green Bay and his hometown of Las Vegas.
Despite admittedly struggling in school early on, his athletic talent, love of sports and nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic had Grey flourishing at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, where he triple-lettered in football, track & field, and wrestling, going undefeated as a heavyweight wrestler in his senior year. From there he went on to Arizona State University on a full athletic scholarship, starting all four years on the Sun Devils’ offensive line.
Just as he’s known for keeping the locker room loose, the 6′5″, 299-pound, much-loved offensive lineman kept our conversation the same.
HB: [Hearing the beeping of his car starting] Do you want to get situated and get your bluetooth hooked up?
GR: Nah, I’m just gonna go phone-straight-to-the-ear. I’ve got Nevada plates and I’ll probably take some back streets, so we’re good.
HB: Sounds good. Okay, how did you get started working with elementary school libraries?
GR: I’d done some work with schools in the past, and it came full circle when I was with the Packers. My friend’s mom taught at Elmore Elementary School in Green Bay, so I’d go there, hang out with kids, talk to them about reading and using the library, the importance of being a good student. I’d go around to different classrooms, sometimes get on the loudspeaker…the kids got a kick out of it. It’s a really small town and people are extremely connected to the Packers; they know who you are there. Face time means a lot to them.
Hangin' in the classroom at Reynaldo Martinez Elementary School, Las Vegas
PHOTO: Grey & Laurie Ruegamer
HB: Was that the beginning of Ruegy’s Readers?
GR: It was sort of the precursor. We called the program PACKERS, [an acronym for Participation, Attendance, Clean (classroom), Kindness, Effort, Respect, Super Grades]. Laurie and I spent a lot of time there; we started giving money to the library for books and rewarding the kids for their achievements with autographed stuff and home game tickets. That way they could say, “Hey look, Mom, I worked really hard and I want to take you to a Packers game.” It gave them something to be excited about…at school. After a while we decided to make it official, get our 501(c)3 status and start Ruegy’s Readers. A couple years later we brought it to Vegas. [Note: Home game tix are a coveted commodity! As the only community-owned major league team in the country, the Packers have one of the longest season ticket waiting periods in pro sports. Most tix are designated in wills, and we hear newborn infants are often placed on the waiting list--practically before the ink on their birth certificates is dry.]
HB: And through your visits you became aware of the library budget?
GR: Yeah, and it was pretty atrocious. I started talking to administrators about the way things were run, and working with teachers and librarians to develop a program. In Vegas, the school system had grown so fast…they couldn’t accommodate the growth. Clark County is one of the five largest school districts in the nation. There are 230 elementary schools alone, and very little funding per school per kid. I was a bit appalled by how it’s neglected.
HB: So how does the program actually work?
GR: Schools go through an application process to get our funding. We used to give $3,000 each to five schools per year, but now we’re giving $5,000 to three schools per year. That way they can make it go further and build a quality program.
PHOTO: Grey & Laurie Reugamer
HB: And the funds go directly to library use?
GR: Exactly. Projectors, interactive tools–whatever’s needed to get kids using the library. And we designate $750 to be used specifically for books to be tagged as Ruegy’s Readers selections. In Vegas we work with Clark County Reads, [the literacy initiative of the Public Education Fund]. Through them, we know our funds are being used the right way and that they’re following the guidelines of our grant money.
HB: How are kids selected to become a “Ruegy’s Reader?”
GR: We set certain criteria with performance-based requirements of reading, behavior, etc. Then we let the teachers and librarians create the program that determines how to become a Ruegy’s Reader. It could be a student who’s finished his first book ever. I want to reward that kid, because that’s a huge deal. They get to sign the inside cover of a book and I sign it too, then it stays there in the library. In the spring we have an assembly and make a big deal out of their achievement.
HB: Why the focus exclusively on elementary schools?
GR: To tell you the truth, I had some tough times in elementary school. I got a little bored. But I always liked reading as a way to pass the time. In my experience if you can start early and set the tone, get them excited about reading…they’ll be better students, better people. In middle school they change, mature, and it’s harder to establish new habits. Starting early is the way to go–they’re more impressionable.
PHOTO: Grey & Laurie Ruegamer
HB: Do you fancy yourself an educator at heart?
GR: In a way. With both my parents being doctors–my dad’s a veterinarian and my mom has a doctorate in special education and was a professor at UNLV for 25 years–I was around teaching all my life. So I do think I’m a teacher at heart, but I don’t necessarily agree with how some of the school systems are run. It means a lot to these kids that I’m there interacting with them. They see that you can play football and still reach out, give back, be smart. So who knows…maybe something along the lines of education or coaching. We’ll see.
HB: Bet you and the kids have a blast when you visit.
GR: It’s great. We’ll do pizza parties, take pictures, I’ll bring my Super Bowl rings. We talk about working toward goals, how what they’re doing now will help them later in life. I tell them to buckle down–that I’m gonna come back and get them. They look at me at 300 pounds; I tell them they don’t want me coming back as their teacher.
HB: Were you raised in a giving-back atmosphere?
GR: Growing up in my family was a great learning environment. You had to be able to hold your ground if you were going to try and stand up for anything. We were never entitled–you had to work for everything. And if someone was in need, the family was there to help out. See that growing up, it was a big deal. If someone needs help, you help. That’s just the way it was. And I’m so fortunate to have what I have. When you’re blessed, you have a responsibility to give back.
HB: You’re known for supporting a number of other causes. What are some of your favorites?
GR: I do a lot with the Giants; we go to schools and talk to kids. The D.A.R.E. program is another I’m involved in. One of my favorites though is the Wounded Warrior Project [a nonprofit dedicated to helping wounded veterans]. I’m a big fan of the military, so I always try to chip in with them whenever I can. [Grey was a good friend of NFLer-turned-military-man Pat Tillman, the former Arizona Cardinals safety who left a $3.6 million contract to join the military, and was later killed in action in Afghanistan in 2004.]
HB: We hear you also run offensive line clinics in the off-season.
GR: I do. They’re called O-Line Clinics. I’ve always enjoyed playing football, obviously. But I also love the game itself, and teaching it. So, say a high school wants to learn more about good solid skills; I teach them how to improve those skills, but also to become better students of the game. I like teaching the fundamental–making sure that basic understanding is there.
Grey with young athletes at his O-Line Clinic
HB: You’re a busy guy, to say the least. Who helps you out with the foundation?
GR: Laurie pretty much has the reins. She makes sure everyone is on the same page. Our board is made up mostly of family and friends, which is great. Everyone has a clear understanding of what we’re about.
Laurie and Grey, who met at ASU, will celebrate their 8-year anniversary this month. Happy Anniversary!
PHOTO: Grey & Laurie Ruegamer
HB: Tell us about the bowling fundraiser coming up in Vegas.
GR: It’s April 25th [draft weekend] at Suncoast Casino & Hotel. People can bowl with a professional athlete or put their own team together. There’s a silent auction, raffle, food, and players are there from almost every team in the NFL. It’s a good time. Lots of fun. [Note: Mad props to Suncoast Casino for donating all 64 lanes for the event!]
HB: Great talking with you Grey. Ruegy’s Readers is an awesome endeavor. The kids are lucky to have you behind them!
GR: Hey, it’s just about showing up and being part of their lives. Kids look up to athletes, so having them see a guy in the NFL who cares about reading…that’s big for them. And watching them improve and making progress? That does it for me.
[Hugbacker plans on attending the Ruegy's Readers bowling event in Las Vegas...stay tuned for a follow-up post in late April. Better yet, get a team together and join the fun!]
Enjoyed your piece on Grey Ruegamer! It’s good to know that there are professional athletes that give back to their communities, especially in such profound ways.
Keep ‘em coming!