Hickory Creek students embrace Titans Caravan
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Fortunately for Dyson, this was something he knew well in advance.
“The kids like T-Rac more than anything else,” said Dyson, who was in the midst of a one-day jaunt around the Midstate which also included stops in Murfreesboro, Shelbyville and Fayetteville.
T-Rac got the crowd of some 700 Hickory Creek students to erupt with laughter with a snazzy dance routine. T-Rac and Titans radio host Larry Stone then combined for a skit that emphasized the importance of education.
The routine included T-Rac kissing Hickory Creek teacher Galen Brown and playing games on the computer instead of doing his homework. But despite his antics, T-Rac was told that his school work is important and should not be neglected.
It’s a message Dyson continued to convey when he took the floor with Titans radio announcer Mike Keith. The two encouraged the children to take pride in their education and in making the right choices.
Those choices, said Dyson, include hanging around the right people and saying no to drugs.
“If you can find someone to be a positive role model in your life, I suggest you do that,” said Dyson, who pointed to his older brother, Kevin, who is also an NFL player, as his role model growing up.
Dyson told students they shouldn’t be afraid of having a dream and then striving to achieve that goal. He said very few people have the luxury of becoming professional athletes, which means education is very likely going to pave their road to success.
Dyson said as a kid, his brother always wanted to be an NBA player. But their mother, realizing a career as a pro athlete was not probable, demanded the two put education first.
“We had to maintain a 3.0 GPA just to play sports,” said Dyson.
The Titans Caravan was an overwhelming hit with students, many of whom ran behind the bus waving as it pulled out of the parking lot.
It marks the seventh year the Titans Caravan has come to McMinnville. Last year, linebacker Rocky Boiman signed autographs outside Kroger.