Good morning, 12s. Here's a look at what's out there today — Monday, December 20 — about your Seattle Seahawks.
How Tyler Ott Makes An Impact Off The Field Through March Of Dimes Partnership
Seahawks long snapper Tyler Ott excelled in multiple sports from a young age, accepted a football scholarship to Harvard where he graduated with a degree in Economics and a minor in Environmental Science and Public Policy, and earned his first Pro Bowl nod with the Seahawks last season after seven years in and around the NFL — all likely things that his mother, Laurie Applekamp, didn't see coming when she gave birth to him five weeks earlier than expected.
Applekamp had started to experience some concerning symptoms during pregnancy which led to the development of preeclampsia, a pregnancy-induced disorder that can lead to organ damage and other fatal complications. Doctors advised she stay home and rest, but two days later, her water broke and baby Tyler would be born seven hours after that — though he would remain in the NICU for 10 days on a respirator.
In his piece this weekend, Sports Illustrated Seahawks reporter Corbin Smith wrote about how Applekamp and Ott have used their personal experience with a serious pregnancy scare to help other families facing similar situations through their work with the nonprofit organization, March of Dimes.
"Nearly 30 years later," Smith writes, "Applekamp and Ott understand they were bestowed great fortune compared to the majority of families facing the abundance of challenges presented by premature birth.
"Serving as advocates for improving the health and well-being of mothers and babies alike, Applekamp and Ott have done their part tackling the ongoing maternal and infant health crisis both in their home state as well as the United States as a whole. The two have passionately worked with March of Dimes for nearly 20 years, using their own story to inspire others and raise awareness for the cause."
March of Dimes is a nonprofit organization that supports research and provides education and advocacy to help mothers and babies. It offers programs like prenatal education for parents-to-be, NICU initiatives to support staff who are guiding families through the parenting process, and supports research that invests in medical and scientific advances for the health of all moms and babies.
When Applekamp joined March of Dimes as a director for their Eastern Oklahoma Division, a then-10-year-old Ott was eager to help out as well, as Smith writes: "'[It's] pretty much all he knows,' Applekamp stated proudly. 'And saying that whether or not he had heard the story from the very beginning, we've talked about it so much and it's a story that I tell so often that it's probably kind of ingrained in his mind.'"
"I think it's easy for us to be involved with the March of Dimes," Ott says in Smith's piece. "It's a great story to tell families that have premature twins that are born three months early that just because they're a preemie, that doesn't mean they're not going to be happy and successful and healthy."
Ott turned his volunteerism into philanthropy when he started the Points for Preemies initiative in 2018, in which he personally donates $100 to the March of Dimes for every extra point and field goal scored by the Seahawks.
"It's something that we can talk about every week to bring up that we raised money for the March of Dimes for this many kicks in this game and we're looking forward to the next week to continue working with it and it's an important cause," Ott said in the piece. "Obviously to us, it's very important, close to our hearts. So it's just how can we continue to raise awareness to level the playing field for all moms and babies, to give every baby a fighting chance, to give every baby an equal chance?"
Social Post Of The Day
With the Seahawks watching football on TV this weekend, Russell Wilson gave a shout out to his former teammate Greg Olsen for his color commentary skills:
More From Around The Web
At Seahawks.com, reporter John Boyle on Pete Carroll's comments that the rescheduling of Sunday’s game won’t affect the team at all.
Also at Seahawks.com, Boyle on the six players who were added to the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Sunday.
Sports Illustrated's Corbin Smith on how Sunday’s NFL results impacted the Seahawks’ playoff chances.
Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times on how some Seahawks fans made the most of their trip to LA despite Sunday’s game being postponed.
ESPN's Alex Scarborough on Seahawks’ QB coach Austin Davis being hired as Auburn’s new offensive coordinator.
