HELPING OTHERS...is what former Mississinawa Valley standout Curtis Enis is all about as a state trooper.

Curtis Enis has been to the highest level of athletics as a professional football player. He was the fifth pick in the 1998 draft by the Chicago Bears and had a three-year professional career before injuries cut it short.

But playing professional football doesn't define Curtis Enis - not to the man himself. Instead, Enis would like to be known as a person who helps others.

This fact was apparent as the former Mississinawa Valley star spoke to Covington fifth and sixth graders at the annual Plus Overnighter, a program that instructs kids on how to make good life decisions.

"Playing football is something I did and I'm proud of it, but I'm about touching as many lives as I can," Enis told the students. "I guess it's OK if I can use the fact that I played in the NFL as a platform to do that."

Enis was very candid with the youngsters in regards to the things he went through to reach his goals - the good and the bad.

"I had a dream of playing in the NBA when I was younger," Enis said. "I saw a story about Michael Jordan and how he dribbled a basketball all the time and would spend hours upon hours working on his jump shot. So I would get up at 5:00 in the morning when my dad got up for work and I would work on my game until lunch time. I figured if Michael Jordan could do it, why not me?"

Enis explained how he drew serious interest from Ball State University for basketball when he was a freshman in high school.

"Ball State wanted me to commit to play basketball for them and I was only a freshman," he explained. "For some reason or another I didn't commit, but I guess I didn't understand it all at that time."

As Enis grew through his high school years he drew even more and more interest from colleges as a football prospect. His size, speed and power was phenomenal. He was a man playing among boys.

"I can remember those days (in high school)," he said. "I can remember playing games against Covington. Those were some good games."

Soon, Joe Paterno and Penn State University came calling for his services.

"Coach Paterno came and watched me play and after getting to know him I knew I wanted to go to Penn State," Enis explained. "My mom would have liked me to go to Ohio State, but I knew Penn State was the place for me."

But he didn't have a one-way ticket to the starting line-up for the Nittany Lions as he struggled making the grades.

"I had to go to a private school my first year there to get my academics squared away," he continued. "It was hard. I was six hours from home and sometimes I cried myself to sleep at night because I didn't know if I could make it. But the grace of God pulled me through and I scored high enough on my ACT to get into Penn State."

Once at Penn State, Enis had a red jersey in his locker as a linebacker.

But that soon changed due to some injuries to the Nittany Lion backfield his freshman year.

"One day I walk into the locker room and my locker has a blue jersey with number 39 on it," he said. "At first I thought someone was playing with me so I went and ask one of the coaches why I had a blue jersey hanging in my locker. When he told me they wanted me to start at running back, I almost broke down. I knew then that I achieved my dream of playing college football for Penn State University."

The jersey that was hanging in his locker is the only one he still owns today.

"I had jerseys from every level I played, but that one jersey is the only one I kept," he explained while holding back tears. "That jersey symbolizes all the good and bad I went through to reach a goal I really wanted to achieve. My kids ask me about that jersey and I tell them the story behind it because I want them to know that they can accomplish anything they set their minds too."

Throughout his college career Enis elevated himself as one of the premier runner backs in the nation.

This led to his first round selection by the Chicago Bears in 1998.

But Enis doesn't talk much about his NFL days as he doesn't want it to define him as a person.

"Playing in the NFL is a goal I accomplished, but it was different than college," explained Enis. "The business aspect of the NFL made it different. I was a small-town kid who didn't really understand it all. I probably wasn't ready for it at that time."

Still, Enis was well on his way to a successful career as the featured back for the Chicago Bears.

One game in particular proved he was well worth being the fifth pick in the draft.

It was the first game after the legendary Walter Payton died and the Chicago Bears were playing at Lambeau Field against their arch rival, the Green Bay Packers.

Enis rushed for 124 yards on the day as Chicago broke a 10-game losing streak with a 14-13 victory.

Unfortunately, injuries cut his career short after three years in the NFL.

"I have no regrets," Enis said in response to a question by one of the Covington students. "I don't look back and wonder what if."

Today Enis is a state trooper in Miami County - a career he takes great pride in - more so than football.

"Being a state trooper, I get to help people," he said. "That's what I believe I was meant to do. All the money and fame you get in the NFL is great. But there's more to life than money. It's helping people and making a difference in their lives."

The message Enis passes on to the youngsters is a simple one, yet one may kids have a difficult time of dealing with due to the rejection they face throughout their young lives.

"Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't accomplish something," Enis told the kids as they sat stone silent. "Don't let them tell you that you can't because you are from a small town or you're not this or that. If you want something, work your butt off and go get it."

After all he's been through, Curtis Enis is still at the highest level - this time it's in life.