We are examining football in the state of Wisconsin. How is the "growing good" of our communities promoted through the sport? What are some of the key challenges? How can coaches and administrators best lead?

Wquinton “Q” Smith was a standout football and basketball player at Rufus King High School in Milwaukee before becoming a point guard for the University of Wisconsin’s Men’s Basketball team. Q joined the SGG podcast, where we discussed:

1. What Rufus King is known for: academics and basketball.

2. The “Wall of Fame” at King.

3. The neighborhood surrounding King High School.

4. What makes King such a good school. “Everybody takes pride in it.”

5. Playing football in the Neighborhood Children’s Sports League growing up. “It prepared me.”

6. Why Q nearly quit football after his freshman year of high school.

7. What Q didn’t like about football.

8. Sub-par facilities and equipment for the football team at King.

9. How King’s identity as an academic and basketball school may have served as a barrier to the team’s football program.

10. “If you build it, they will come.”

11. Why some kids at King couldn’t go out for football.

12. Dwindling football participation across the country.

13. Building character and friendships through football.

14. “Football helped me branch out and meet different people…Once I started playing football, I started opening up to people and trusting people more. And I brought that with me to UW-Madison.”

15. Ensuring all kids opportunities for out of school sport development.