When the Baltimore Ravens got a recovery pool at their Under Armour Performance Center this year, All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey learned that not all his NFL teammates could swim.
So, on behalf of the “Ravens Aquatics Team,” the former Hoover High School star and Alabama All-American put out a plea to one of the Ravens’ most famous fans. Humphrey asked Michael Phelps to teach the Baltimore players to swim.
On Tuesday, Phelps attended the Ravens’ practice at training camp and addressed the team after their workout.
“It’s what you do behind closed doors that no one sees that gives you the opportunity to stand out on this field every single week during the season and be great,” Phelps told the players. “… For me, every single box was checked off. When I stepped up on the block, I knew what was going to happen. My dreams and my goals were bigger than anybody else’s on the planet, especially in the swimming pool. I worked the hardest; that’s why I got the results.”
Phelps won 28 Olympic medals, including 23 gold medals, making him the most decorated athlete in the history of the Olympic Games.
After practice, the team went to Loyola College’s aquatic center, where Phelps raced the Ravens’ most accomplished swimmers, worked with the non-swimmers on becoming comfortable and confident in the water and coached the swimmers who feel between those extremes.
Phelps and Michael Phelps Foundation instructors also worked with youngsters from the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore, who joined the Ravens in their swimming lesson.
The NFL team made a $100,000 donation to Phelps’ foundation to help him on his mission. The Michael Phelps Foundation is “determined to make the world a healthier and safer place. Drowning is a leading cause of unintentional death for children worldwide and one in five Americans experience mental illness. Learning how to swim can not only save a life in the water, but it can provide a platform to overcome fears, boost self-esteem, and provide overall wellness.”
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at@AMarkG1.
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