Recently retired Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Mike Rucker picked up many accolades in his nine-year NFL career. Carolina’s all-time sack leader, Pro Bowl defensive tackle, NFC Champion and Super Bowl participant just to name a few. Even though his career on the football field is over, Rucker can now add another star to his already impressive resume: community all-star.

Rucker has teamed up with Alltel Wireless to create Yards 4 Youth Football, a charity program driven to provide much needed funds for Coastal Pop Warner football. “It’s all about the kids, and with football, it was right up my alley,” Rucker said.

The program will involve local high school football teams from Ashley, Hoggard, Laney and New Hanover. For each offensive yard gained by the four schools in their final five games of the season, Alltel will donate one dollar to the Coastal Pop Warner football league. In addition, Alltel will designate a player and team of the week and donate an extra $500 in each of their names.

Following the conclusion of the season, the individual player and team who gain the most yards will be named the player and team of the season. Alltel will then donate $1,000 to Coastal Pop Warner Football on behalf of each honoree.

Rucker, the program’s spokesman, visited Wilmington to make a special presentation before the Laney-New Hanover game Oct. 10 to signal the start of the program. “It’s a great community and we’re all excited about the kids,” he said. “We’re here to bring awareness to the program and kick it off.”

Rucker explained how the program will pay dividends in the future as the children benefiting from Yards 4 Youth Football will be the stars of tomorrow. “It’s very important to me because I went through Pop Warner. The kids that are playing there now are going to be playing for these high schools and that’s when it really comes full circle. It’s like a revolving door.”

The former Panther is no stranger to helping out in the community however. Rucker, along with some of his former teammates, founded Ruckus House, a child development and learning facility in Charlotte.

“It has to do with my foundation and how I was brought up,” he said. “Kids shape the future and it offers them a structured program and a positive influence.”

Given his interests in getting involved in his communities, Rucker’s decision to retire from football was one that was not too hard for him to make. “I wanted to go out on my terms and I did that,” he said. “I’m a community guy. I have other joys and interests. This gives me more time for those.”

One thing’s for sure, though Mike Rucker’s days of electrifying Bank of America Stadium are now over, his time of pumping up the community around him are just beginning