Former Trotwood-Madison football player returns to his roots to inspire the next generation

TROTWOOD — As we head into week four of high school football, a Miami Valley native is back in town giving back to the community.

Michael Simpson helped Trotwood-Madison High School win its first-ever state championship more than 10 years ago.

Now he hopes to inspire the next generation.

Simpson lives in Atlanta but still comes home to visit.

On this trip, he’s partnering with businesses like Dewey’s Pizza to give young athletes fuel and a message.

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In the years since being on the field, he got into music and started a record label called Jetway Records.

This week Michael, who also goes by Champagne937, plans to visit high school football practices and deliver the players pizza — but most importantly talk to them.

“We’re kind of just preaching leadership, teamwork, the staying together camaraderie. That’s what I’ve learned. I’ve taken that into my adventures in music, I still treat music like football, I still treat it the same way. It’s still the same type of intensity that I have,” Simpson said.

For him, mentoring and guiding children runs in the family.

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“My entire family has been just pretty much involved with education,” Simpson said.

It’s his way of paying it forward to the community that raised him.

“I never in my life had to look far for a role model, like so I kind of wanted to be able to give that same thing where I had family and coaches who really actually cared about me so that’s kind of our real purpose is for them to be able to see me and see like okay, like ‘I can accomplish that,’” he said.

He will visit Trotwood Madison tomorrow and three other area schools this week.

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