MUSKEGON, Mich. — For the fifth year, Muskegon's "My Cause, My Cleats" will return to one of its football games.
The 2024 season marks the first year the initiative will take place in the season opener, with the Big Red's cause once again being child abuse.
"There's an unfortunate reality that so many kids in the county survive child abuse neglect every day," said Brooke Batholomew, director of football operations at Muskegon High School. "We just wanted to raise awareness and funds to give back to the community that supports us and fund the programs that support the children."
Muskegon partners with the Child Abuse Council, with the cleats being a pathway toward fundraising for the organization.
Kids from the Child Abuse Council met with Muskegon captains, including quarterback James Young and jack-of-all-trades player Lyn Wilson.
"It really does mean a lot to me, especially coming from where I had came from," Wilson said. "I was in these kids' shoes at a point in time. It just [lets] them know that they have someone, you know, I'm saying they're not by their self."
"I think it's the thing to do because all those kids deserve it," said Young. "It's just awesome to give back to those kids."
The final piece to the puzzle is an actual artist.
Armone Tyson is a 2009 graduate of Muskegon and won a state title as a member of the football team in 2008.
Since graduating, Tyson has taken part in the "My Cause, My Cleats" initiative by designing cleats for quarterbacks Tom Brady, Cam Newton and Ben Roethlisberger, among many others.
Tyson once again returns to his older stomping grounds to give back through his passion for art.
"No words," said Tyson. "I've done a lot in my career. I can't say that I've done anything that leaves me feeling like this every day."
The kids from the council split into groups with the team captains, coming up with ideas that ranged from Fortnite to Hello Kitty, to Roblox and much more.
"These players might as well be superheroes to these kiddos," said Kyleen Gee, executive director of the Child Abuse Council. "You give them a night of fun and recognition, to just be kids like kids should be is priceless."
"It's really just to know that it's for a bigger purpose," said Tyson.
The kids will walk out with the Muskegon football team as they prepare to face Zeeland West in the season opener.
A local State Farm is also planning a "50 dollars per touchdown" donation to the Child Abuse Council, according to owner Jake Kantola (yes, a Jake from State Farm).