Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz and former Hawkeye kicker Nate Kaeding have joined forces to bring on of the most influential sports educators in the country to Iowa City. Joe Ehrmann will speak at the Englert Theaster in Iowa City on Thursday, June 25th.

Ehrmann played for the Baltimore Colts in the 1970s and these days travels the country to talk about sports and the impact on players, coaches and parents.

Kaeding saw Ehrmann last year during training camp with the San Diego Chargers when he came to speak to the team. Kaeding says Ehrmann struck home with everyone with his message. Kaeding says part of Ehrmann’s message is what it really takes to be a man. He says society reinforces the idea that being a man is having a lot of money and running around with a lot of women, but Kaeding says Ehrmann says that’s not what it means to be a man.

Ferentz says Ehrmann’s message goes beyond sports and is good for educators and parents. He says the message transcends sports, but is pertinent for everyone. Ferentz says Ehrmann talks about sports beyond the winning and losing and relationships and what is meaningful and lasting in life.

He says there are a lot of lessons that can be taught if sports are done right. Ferentz says the message is also a good one for parents, as he says there’s nothing more horrifying then going to a Little League game and seeing parents focusing on kids having the best batting average and getting a scholarship. Ferentz says it should be about the experience they are having and the people involved.

Tickets to the event cost 12 dollars in advance and 20 dollars at the door. The profits will go to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.