'Gatesway' to schoolwide fame: Student brings All-Pro Chargers tight end to class with him

By: SHAYNA CHABNER - Staff Writer | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 1:02 AM PST ∞

ESCONDIDO -- For show and tell Tuesday, 9-year-old Kody Blankenbeckler had a more than just his mother's No. 85 San Diego Chargers jersey and his favorite sports facts to share with his Miller Elementary School classmates.

Kody had the real, 6-foot-4, 260-pound All-Pro Chargers tight end, Antonio Gates, at his side.

"I'm going to be so famous," the Escondido third-grader said Tuesday, as a Cheshire-catlike grin spread across his face. "I'm going to make some more friends."

Kody was one of 34 elementary and middle school students from around the country to bring a player from their local NFL team to school this fall. The unique opportunity, made possible by the league and J.C. Penney, is part of a nationwide campaign to encourage children to stay in school and become involved in after-school programs.

Kody's name was randomly selected out of more than 70,000, after he registered for the sweepstakes on the league's youth Web site, www.nflrush.com.

"A bigger football fan couldn't have won," said Jim Blanchard, a resource specialist at Miller who helps Kody with his reading. "Being such a big football fan has helped him read better. He's motivated to read and learn about football."

Kody and his considerably larger partner arrived at school Tuesday by limousine and were greeted by an crowd of enthusiastic students, staff and parents who snapped photos, waved gold and navy pompoms and chanted "we love Gates" and "San Diego Super Chargers."

During Gates' nearly two-hour visit, he accompanied Kody to the principal's office -- where he was "reprimanded" by Miller Principal Tom Crenshaw with a pink discipline slip for "not sharing the ball once he has caught it" -- to class and hosted a school assembly. The duo also led Kody's third-grade class in a series of stretches and a ball-throwing activity.

"I was excited to come," Gates told more than 200 third-, fourth- and fifth-graders gathered in the school's multipurpose room. "I wish I could have brought a player with me to school."

Gates also spoke briefly about how taking advantage of after-school programs, physical activity options and studying now, will pay off in the future. He said the reading, spelling and math lessons he learned in grade school are invaluable tools for him in football because he has to memorize more than 100 different plays for upcoming games.

"Kids need discipline, leadership, and they need to learn how to work together," Gates said.

In addition to discussing sports and other school-related programs, however, Kody and many of his classmates wanted to get the scoop about Gates, the team and even the Chargers' coaches. Students hammered the pro with questions about how he felt the offense was doing, if he was catching a lot of balls, if Norv Turner is a good head coach and what life was like without Marty Schottenheimer.

"(Kody) knows a lot about football," Gates said, laughing a bit. "I was sitting back there talking about football and he was asking about Marty Schottenheimer. I don't know if you all know, but that's not normal in third grade. He knows a lot about what's going on in San Diego."

-- Contact staff writer Shayna Chabner at (760) 740-5416 or schabner@nctimes.com.