Panthers director of player development holds teen character development conference

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A former NFL player turned director of Player Development for the Carolina Panthers has created a special opportunity for teens.

Mark Carrier wants to teach young men how to navigate some of the academic, social and athletic challenges of life.

He wants to prepare them for the "next level."

Teens don't have to play sports to attend The Next Level Conference and there is no time spent on the field and no sports drills.
They talk about a variety of topics including the positive and negative impacts of social media.

Carrier said he will be sharing with the teens some of the same things that he shares with NFL rookies.
He has seen firsthand how some professional athletes made career altering mistakes.

“We have guys that don't realize that because of a decision back in high school or college - that it will affect their draft status,” director of player development for the Carolina Panthers Mark Carrier said. “They may go from a first-round pick to not getting drafted because of a bad decision that they made.”

[LINK: Next Level Conference]

Carrier said sometimes by the time guys get to him it's too late.

“Some of the programs I go through that we talk about: healthy manhood, how to treat people, respect, finances. But there is a gap that has been missed,” Carrier said.

Carrier wanted to reach younger men and boys so he organized the next level conference with critical sessions for those in 10th to 12th grade that are focused on success.

“Oftentimes I see young men who miss out on opportunity based on a bad decision that they didn't know was bad at the time,” Carrier said.

[FLYER: Next Level Conference]

Independence High School senior Jabari Moore attended last year.

“I learned a lot about being a man,” he said.

Moore met NFL players who shared personal stories and transformational speakers who sparked big takeaways.

“A lot of high school men might not think much about how to respect women in some situations. Respecting women and what they want and if they say no you respect that,” he said.

Tony Porter spends time with the participants, many of whom, he says, may not have a father at home.

“I had young men say to me, in some real conversations, I did not know that behavior constituted sexual assault,” Porter said.

He credits Carrier with creating a venue outside of sports to show them they are important.

“What we're trying to demonstrate to the young men and in the use of our time with them is that it's bigger than the Xs and Os. We're talking about life,” Porter said.

The camp is $50 for the entire weekend, lodging, meals and travel included.

Participants stay on the JCSU campus.

The deadline is the week before the camp, which takes place on Father's Day weekend.

They have scholarships, so boys who can't pay can attend for free.

You don't have to play sports to attend.

Cox Media Group