Wake Forest Athletics
GOLD RUSH: Fred Robbins Profile
3/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
This article was originally published in the April 2015 issue of Gold Rush
By Katharine Williams, External Communications
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Fred Robbins retired from the NFL in 2012 following a storied 12-year career. He was named a Sports Illustrated All-Pro in 2008 and became a Super Bowl XLII champion in the same year with the New York Giants. Drafted in the second round, he played four years for the Minnesota Vikings, six with the New York Giants and two with the St. Louis Rams. Few people may realize, however, that his first love was baseball, not football, and his opportunity to play two sports was one of the major reasons he came to Wake Forest.
"Growing up, baseball was my favorite sport and I only played two years of high school football. My senior year I was really focusing on baseball, which was my passion," said Fred. "I knew that was something that I wanted to do in college - play two sports. Wake Forest recruited me late in the process when Coach Teryl Austin came down to visit me. One of the reasons I was really drawn to the University was because they said I could play two sports."
Fred also noted that Wake Forest appealed to his parents, both teachers, who placed a high value on education. The strong academic reputation also appealed to Fred, who always "welcomed a challenge."
"When I came to visit, I felt a sense of home. Most of the schools that I visited, the emphasis was on `here's what you can have,' whether it was clothes or facilities, but my parents were both teachers and education was very important to them. Wake Forest was a different experience. Coach Caldwell sat there and told me `I can't promise you the NFL. But you will graduate from here with a great education.' I think that was the thing that stood out the most for me throughout the whole process."
Fred started every game for four years for the Deacs, was named Second-Team All-ACC as a senior and helped lead Wake Forest to a decisive Aloha Bowl victory in 1999 over Arizona State. In 2000, the Minnesota Vikings drafted Fred in the second round. During his NFL career, Fred found it difficult to visit campus and ended up losing touch with the athletic department. Following his retirement, however, he reconnected through the Deacon Club and is currently serving his first year on the Board of Directors.
"While I was playing in the NFL, which I was fortunately able to do for 12 years, it was hard to stay connected, especially when I first left campus and social media wasn't what it is today. Everybody went their different directions and the amount of time and work my job required made it hard to get back to campus for games. So I basically had a 12-year gap in involvement with the University, and now I am just trying to reconnect and make up for that time, especially in my role with the Deacon Club Board of Directors. I wanted to get involved again because I didn't want the history that I had here, and the connections I had with the guys on the football team, to disappear."
Fred was motivated to serve on the Board of Directors to help support the Wake Will campaign and the current football team. He also hopes his service inspires his teammates and other former football players to reengage with the University.
"I feel it's important for both myself and my teammates to reconnect, relive those moments and get back into the spirit, not just during football season but throughout the year. We need to rebuild those personal relationships we had when we were in school, both on and off the field, to stay connected, support each other, and contribute to the success of our current team. We need to build that brotherhood back up, whether its getting guys involved through volunteering or contributing financially. It goes a long way, having an active alumni group, especially in recruiting and helping our current team be successful both on and off the field, knowing they have that support behind them."
Fred said he was wowed when he visited Wake Forest for the first time since his playing days, marveling at all of the changes that have happened on campus. Beyond the changes that have already taken place, he is excited to see future plans come to fruition, particularly the Sports Performance Center, which he feels strongly will have a positive impact not only on the current team, but will be an asset in recruiting.
"There has been so much change since I was a student, and any of my teammates or other football alumni who haven't been back haven't had a chance to experience it first-hand. It's funny, because where we're sitting now [Bridger Field House], didn't exist when I played here. There were tents set up right here, and we would get dressed on campus, take the bus over to the stadium and put on our shoulder pads once we arrived to go out and play the game. For the guys who haven't been back, that's their last memory of this place. Although they may see it on TV, coming back here, seeing this building and touring Deacon Tower first-hand is very powerful. It's exciting."
Fred was also motivated to get involved with the Deacon Club because of the positive impact the University has had on his life, both during his NFL career and beyond. He noted that the strong academic reputation, one of the things that initially drew him to Wake Forest, is recognized throughout the country.
"Something I didn't fully realize for several years was the weight the name of the University carries and the respect it gets," said Fred. "I have a Wake Forest license plate on my car and when people see that they always say `Wow, you went to Wake Forest? That is a great school.' I think that's really something to be proud of, that our school has a great academic reputation throughout the country. I think we're on the right track to raise the profile of our athletic programs as well, and it is really exciting to be a part of that process."
To fully appreciate the progress and direction of the Wake Will campaign, Fred said alumni and supporters need to visit campus and see it for themselves. "One of the things I would love is for more supporters and alumni, specifically football alumni, to come back to campus and see the vision first-hand. I've had the opportunity to be back, see what's changed and what the plans are, that's what excites me about the future," said Fred.
Fred currently serves as the head of his foundation, Mr. Robbins Neighborhood, which he founded with his wife, Tia, and aims to educate and support aspiring collegiate athletes. Fred said he conveys his own experience earning his degree as a lesson for the youth he mentors.
"During my senior year, which was the spring of 2000, I didn't realize the amount of time that I needed to dedicate to pursuing my goal of playing in the NFL. Between playing in the Senior Bowl, training, flying here and there and having my Pro Day, in no time at all it was mid-April," said Fred. "I didn't finish school then, but I was drafted in the second round and played four years for the Minnesota Vikings, six with the New York Giants and two with the St. Louis Rams. While I was playing for the Giants, I had a knee injury and as I was sitting there, laid up, I thought `If my career ended today, what would I do?' So the following year I enrolled in classes at Wake Forest and finished up while I was playing in 2009. I think the most important part about earning my degree was leaving a legacy and setting an example for my own children and the kids I work with through Mr. Robbins Neighborhood. I tell them all the time how important education is. I was blessed to have 12 years in the NFL, but I've seen a lot of guys play two years or less."
Looking to the future, Fred is excited about the direction of the athletic department. He hopes his service on the Board of Directors will not only help the Wake Will campaign succeed and come to a resounding conclusion, but inspire others to get involved.
"Being a part of the Deacon Club Board of Directors has been a great experience," said Fred. "I hope that I can not only contribute to the success of our athletic department through volunteering in this role, but help reengage my fellow teammates and football alumni. There are a ton of exciting things happening on campus as a result of the Wake Will campaign, and I'd love for everyone to experience them first-hand."
About the Deacon Club
The Deacon Club is the fundraising unit for Wake Forest Athletics. In an effort to support the athletic department's mission of Developing Champions, the Deacon Club is driven by three primary objectives: to provide scholarships for academically deserving student-athletes; to equip student-athletes with first-class facilities; and to develop programs to further engage members with Wake Forest Athletics. For more information, please visit WakeForestSports.com/deaconclub.
