Former Seahawk Marcus Trufant making big plays for kids off field

For a guy that’s supposedly retired, former Seahawks’ and WSU Cougar standout Marcus Trufant doesn’t have much free time, devoting countless hours to making the community a better place.

It’s actually been that way ever since he entered the NFL in 2003 and created the Trufant Family Foundation.

“I just wanted to help, I wanted to give back to a community that gave back to me as a kid, and I wanted to do more,” Trufant says.

What does the foundation do? A better question is what doesn’t it do. Rather than focus on just one thing, the foundation supports a number of existing community programs and runs a number of its own including a scholarship program for high school kids in his hometown of Tacoma, a sponsor a child to camp program and a fitness program.

“I like it like that, to not be focused on just one thing. I can touch a lot more people that way.”

He can’t do it alone. the Trufant Family Foundation is tru-ly a family affair.

“We’ve got my brothers, my mom and dad, aunts, uncles, cousins. I think that’s what really makes it great is everything is homegrown and we do it all in house.”

Among his biggest fundraising events is the annual Marcus Trufant Bowling and Billiard Classic this Monday, Nov. 3, at ACME Bowl in Tukwila. The event draws a number of former and current Seahawks and players from other NFL teams. Last year, with a field that included Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman and many others, the event raised over $65,000 for community youth programs.

It’s not all fun and games. Trufant says the guys that turn out take it pretty seriously.

“Everybody in the locker room thinks they’re the best basketball player, the best bowler, the best at pool, so it’s a lot of fun, and a lot of guys put a lot of weight on it,” he says.

Everybody that is but Trufant. He usually finds the gutter when he throws out the first ball.

“It’s pretty funny,” he laughs. “It’s been on TV before and everyone gets a good chuckle. But it’s for the kids, so I don’t really care.”

Lanes are full for this year’s event to bowl with the celebrities, but you can still attend as a spectator.

Passes are available for as low as $50 for adults (while supplies last) to watch the bowling and billiards, mingle with Marcus and get a few autographs from some of your favorite current and former Seahawks including special guest Walter Jones, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last summer and is being added to the Seahawks Ring of Honor Sunday.

Trufant’s community work extends beyond his family’s own foundation. He recently launched the new iCan Project with his buddies Gee Scott and Terry Holliman from the Barbershop Radio show.

The program is aimed at inspiring leadership and empowerment among young men in the community, providing them with role models to help guide them in education, skill development and self improvement.

“They’re at that point of when they’re just making that transition, when they’re coming into their own as men, and it’s a really good place where we can help steer them in the right direction.”

For more information on the Trufant Family Foundation and the 10th Annual Marcus Trufant Bowling and Billiard Classic, click here.