A former National Football League player of over nine years delivered an impressive message to more than 175 people on Wednesday afternoon at the 19th Annual Bo Tkach Memorial Golf Tournament held at the Woodstone Country Club, Danielsville.

Mike Reichbach, former Philadelphia Eagle, Miami Dolphin and San Francisco 49er, praised the foundation for its work in helping to promote healthier lives in adolescents and pointing out that sometimes too much pressures are put on that generation.

He delivered that message at the dinner program that followed the annual 18-hole better-ball tournament with 136 golfers.

Reichenbach, who grew up in Northampton and played Bethlehem Liberty and East Stroudsburg University before becoming a starting linebacker for the Eagles, commended the foundation for “connecting with kids,” saying, “It’s great that you let them know they don’t have to go through challenges alone and that you are having a greater impact on them with a goal being to protect and develop healthier human beings.”

The foundation, founded in 2008 following the tragic suicide death of Bo Tkach, son of Jim and Sandi Tkach, Lehighton natives, remains committed to its mission of creating awareness of mental health issues while providing essential funding for youth programs, scholarships and otherwise inaccessible mental health screening and treatment.

Jim Tkach, who is battling cancer, and his wife were unable to attend the event and were represented by their son, Tyler, who told the golfers, “This is awesome. On behalf of my mom and dad, I want to thank you for your continued support of the foundation and the work that it does in the community.”

In his address, Reichenbach, who played into his ninth season in the NFL, addressed parts of his career.

He said, “While focus might seem to be on the physicality of the game, the mental aspect of the game is critical to us staying in the game and what gives us self-worth and what gives us purpose defines us.”

Reichenbach related it was in the fourth week of his ninth season when he began to realize that “God has a plan and purpose for your life that is important to address.”

He said, “It was like an unmet expectation, and I put my faith in Jesus Christ and it changed the character and foundation of who I am, and, so, I became involved in youth ministry.”

Reichenbach likened his feelings then to what children are dealing with today, saying, “Kids are now starving because they have no spare time. Sports is a great vehicle for them, but it’s more important to go out and impact the world instead of the world having an impact on you.”

He cited academics, athletics, bullying, mental health issues, home environment, stress and other factors in children’s lives, and even implied “traveling teams” could adversely impact a child’s daily life, saying, “Kids need answers; inside they may be struggling, so the foundation is filling the gap by helping to bring awareness to the warning signs.”

He commended the golfing participants, sponsors of the event and those who have made the tournament successful, saying, “Every life is worth the investment.”

Tourney winners

In the tournament, the team of Darryl Reccek, D.J. Reccek, Ben Flurer and Mike Schlamp won first place with a score of 55, followed by the runners-up, Kerry Paules, Robby Scheckler, Chip Solt and Mike Spillman with a score of 60, as did the team of Ed Kiss, Scott Masenheimer, Adam Masenheimer and Robb Piotrowski.

Closest to the pin winners were Colby Thomas, No. 5; Ben DeRoner, No. 8; and Ben Adams, No. 16, while Schlamp won the men’s longest drive competition and Cassandra Kistler copped the woman’s longest drive event. Adam Masenheimer had the straightest drive on No. 11 and the pot of gold on No. 13 was won by D.J. Reccek, Frank Kindler and Scott Kalamar.