St. Rita Alum Darius Fleming Helps Young Athletes Through Beyond Sports Foundation

CHICAGO, IL — For some athletes, the toughest part about progressing from stardom in high school to having the chance to compete professionally is finding an adequate college education.

Darius Fleming, a St. Rita alum, was able to find one of the best around as a student-athlete at Notre Dame before he began a career in the NFL. And now Fleming is working with the same organization that helped make it possible for him to achieve those goals a decade ago.

Fleming is a mentor for the Highland Park-based Beyond Sports Foundation, an organization which transforms the lives of young student athletes by giving them a chance to receive a college education. Currently an unsigned NFL player who won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots three years ago, Fleming is now fully committed to training young athletes as a defensive specialist focusing on player skill development and shares his on-the-field expertise.

“I saw how much it benefited me and supported me along the way and thought it would be right to show support for the same great organization,” Fleming said.
Fleming became involved with Beyond Sports himself during his junior year at St. Rita, during the 2006 season in which the Mustangs brought home the state championship.

“I feel there are a lot of kids who, like me, are talented but do not have the resources when it comes to academics,” he said. “Beyond Sports gave me the necessary tools to navigate in sports and education.”

Beyond Sports helps several Chicago-area high school athletes in continuing their athletic and academic careers.

Kempton Shine, a current junior football player at St. Rita who has NFL aspirations, is now following in Fleming’s footsteps in the Beyond Sports program and is learning from Fleming himself.

“I never heard of Darius until I got to St. Rita and heard the coaches talking about him and the glory days,” said Shine, whose goal it to attend Notre Dame like Fleming did. “But now he’s like a big brother to me. I talk to him all the time and want to be as good as him and accomplish even more.”

Both Fleming and Shine tout the strong “brotherhood” that exists at St. Rita.

“I really like our principal,” Shine said. “He helps me in many different aspects. He talks to my mom and pushes me to be everything I can be. The entire staff is outstanding and I like how they reuse education.”

Fleming goes back to that 2006 championship season for both his most memorable moments at the school.

“The first one was a bad memory,” he said. “We lost to Fenwick in Week 3 that year. We thought our season was over, but we stuck it out as brothers and ended up winning the state championship.”

Fleming was involved with other activities at St. Rita as well beginning with his freshman year, when he was a manager for the school’s basketball team.

“I wanted to be a part of basketball too, but wasn’t good enough to play,” he said. “Being a manager I got to be involved without any of the hassle players have.”

He called St. Rita “a big part of my life.

“I come back as often as I can.”

Fleming is working with Beyond Sports as a mentor to young athletes like Shine, but is still staying in shape himself with hopes of a possible return to the NFL.

“I won’t close that door just yet,” he said. “I am looking into several opportunities in the corporate world, but want to stay ready in case the chance comes around.”

Photo via Beyond Sports Foundation