Changing the Narrative: Rachel Baribeau on speaking at Texas A&M

Key notes from Rachel Baribeau interview

• The folks over at the football complex gave me a Texas A&M jersey, it was awesome. I told them about my travel to get there and there were guys that were locked in from the moment I walked in yesterday. The group was amazing to speak to and I tell people if my speech meant anything to them to come give me a hug after we’re done. About 50 or 60 players came and gave me a hug afterwards and told me how much it meant.
  
  
• The message I’m trying to display is purpose, message, platform and how do we view women and how do we treat them. I’ve had multiple players come and tell me that I was the first person to tell them they have worth outside of football. There is a reason why a lot of professional football players are struggling when they are done playing. They are ether broke, drug addicted or divorced, or all three because they only know how to be the football star. I want these guys to get that they are so much more than just football players.
  
  
• A year ago I was at Florida State doing a speech and that’s where “Changing the narrative” really began. Little did I know it would grow the way it did, and soon after I sent the curriculum off Jimbo Fisher wanted me to come and speak at Florida State.
  
  
• These players, their whole life they are told they should be a king on the football field, but I want them to be a king off the field as well. I want them to be able to look in the mirror at the end of the day and be proud of the man looking back. I tell them, if you’re looking at someone else's test in class because you didn’t study, that’s not being a king.
  
  
• I know Coach Sumlin’s mom really well, I knew his father and have been friends with his family for a really long time and get to see a different side of Coach Sumlin. Since his dad passed, I’ve told him that his dad is there with him and everything he does. To know they were in the room listening to my talk yesterday as another woman meant a lot to me.
  
  
• I told the guys yesterday, there are young men all over the country watching you everyday and they want to be you. Be an example for the kids in a good way, show them the right way to do things. The goal for me is not just to give a 55-minute speech, I want to form a relationship with these guys that lasts. So that whenever they have something wrong, I can be there for them.
  
  
• Absolutely, my message changes when I go to different schools, every situation is different. With Baylor, they had been beaten down so badly, that they needed to be lifted up. People need to realize no players or coaches involved with all that are still left at that school and had nothing to do with the atrocities that happened. Those kids were very defensive at the beginning of that talk, but by the end of it you could feel the walls coming down.
  
  
• I think Coach Sumlin is a guy that when he gets pushed into the corner, he will come out guns blazing and fight back. He will handle it with dignity and class publicly, but he has a fire burning inside of him. I’ve had tons of people call into my national show and saying that if Kevin Sumlin leaves Texas A&M, they would love to have him.
  
  
• The best chance for an SEC player to win the Heisman this year would probably be Derrius Guice at LSU, a guy who runs the ball angry. Possibly Jarrett Stidham if he gets to Auburn and sets the world on fire and then maybe Jalen hurts if he is an improved passer.