His $15,000 Rolex no longer keeps accurate time, but former NFL star Rueben Mayes treasures it as an old friend from his journey through an athletic career into a second career in philanthropy.
Dangling the watch in front a crowd of 800 at the Living Sky School Division Student Hall of Fame Celebration June 14, Mayes said he received it in 1986 as NFL Rookie of the Year, and reflecting upon it at a low time in his life helped him find his own personal anchor in faith.
Having a solid anchor is one of the five most important life components Mayes said he has learned throughout his life and which he shared with the students being honoured that evening.
He said one must have a bold vision, work hard, employ commitment and persistence, hold on to an anchor and appreciate the help one receives while passing help on to others.
Mayes, who played high school football at North Battleford Comprehensive High School in the early 1980s, went on to a record-setting career at Washington State in the Pac-10 before being drafted by both the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders and the NFL's New Orleans Saints.
He signed with the Saints and enjoyed seven successful seasons in the NFL. He played several seasons with New Orleans before concluding his athletic career with the Seattle Seahawks in 1993.
He went on to earn a masters in business administration in 2000 and now holds credentials as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRA).
On the afternoon of June 13 a practice field at NBCHS was named after Mayes at a dedication ceremony and he also addressed students gathered there, sharing some of the same advice he gave to the Living Sky division high school students who were being honoured for excellence in academics, athletics and more.
Bold vision
As a young NBCHS student, Mayes had a bold vision - he wanted to play football in the NFL.
"You have to take yourself out of your comfort zone," said Mayes. (He is one of only three Saskatchewan residents to have ever made it to the NFL.)
Hard work
Working hard is non-negotiable, said Mayes.
He learned how to work hard growing up in North Battleford, and he worked hard throughout his years as a student athlete and a professional athlete. He continues to work hard in his career as a fundraiser. (Mayes has helped secure over $85 million in philanthropy as a fundraising expert.)
Commitment
Commitment and persistence was the third point in the list of things Mayes has learned. He proudly announced he and his wife Marie have been married for 25 years, while many marriages among professional athletes players fail. He and Marie, a university professor, are raising two sons.
Professionally, he has persisted through injuries and setbacks to achieve his goals and become the best he could be.
Anchor
"You're going to fail sometimes, you're going to get hurt, you're going to get knocked down," said Mayes.
At a low point in his life, he found his anchor in Jesus Christ.
"You need an anchor," he said.
Helping hands
Mayes holds dear those people who helped him along the way, naming former NBCHS teachers Don Hodges and Garth Link as well as his parents. He has gratitude for a those who gave him a helping hand - "these are the links in the chain of your life" - and, especially in his second career, he passes that along.
Mayes said he is grateful and proud to come from North Battleford. So proud, in fact, he found himself crying in the car on the way from Saskatoon to North Battleford.
"I'm old enough now to admit I cry," he laughed.
