QB makes pitch for financial literacy

About 60 business and finance students wearing Flathead High School football jerseys were ready to tackle a round of financial literacy with Braves alumnus and Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler.

Osweiler teamed with Monica Lindeen, Montana commissioner of securities and insurance and state auditor — a self-proclaimed diehard Broncos fan — to kick off a statewide effort to improve money management skills among teens with the release of “Financial Football,” an educational video game and classroom curriculum developed by Visa.

On Friday morning, Osweiler walked with ease through the hallways of Flathead, a school from which  he graduated in 2009. On Monday, he will graduate from Arizona State University.

Although it had been five years, Osweiler was a familiar face, except now he has more facial hair and traded the teenage uniform of jeans and T-shirts for a suit.

Office staffers, former teachers and coaches clustered around him to reminisce, take photos and give hugs.

“This is where I grew up. This is where I went to high school,” Osweiler said. “Where I played football and basketball.”

After autographing a stack of photos, Osweiler headed out of the school office, where he had spent much time as a student aide, and stopped to give office assistant Debbie Newman a quick hug and hello.

Before entering the school library, Osweiler ran into track and football coach Dan Hodge.

“Come here, give me a hug,” Osweiler said.

“Nice to see you,” Hodge said. “I was his ankle taper.”

But Osweiler responded: “He just wasn’t my ankle taper, he was my guy.”

In the library, students were ready to play. Split into two teams, Osweiler and Lindeen coached them through a fast-paced game of multiple-choice financial questions.

Teams that answered correctly were able to select from a variety of offensive plays and running and passing options. Students cheered and clapped when they scored the first touchdown.

Lindeen said the goal is to prepare students whose financial responsibilities continue to grow as they become young adults and look to buy cars, fund college, pay rent, buy a house or start a family.

Lindeen said her office initially was approached by Visa to promote the financial literacy game and curriculum. Lindeen said high school students can be a tough crowd to engage and talking about finances can be especially tough.

“Any time you can find a fun, competitive program to do that — it tends to stick in their minds and they’re more excited about it,” Lindeen said.

Before the coin toss to decide offense and defense, Osweiler shared a personal story about learning budgeting the hard way.

“I went to Arizona State University on full athletic scholarship,” Osweiler said.

As a scholarship recipient, he received about $1,200 a month for expenses.

“At the time, I basically thought I won the lottery, used to living on $40 a week in high school,” Osweiler said.

The upcoming weekend was the Super Bowl and Osweiler said he wanted to throw a party with friends. To kick the party up a notch, he used his debit card to buy a flat screen TV, surround-sound system, get his car detailed and buy about $80 in chicken wings.

“I thought, no big deal. I have all this money,” Osweiler said.

“A couple days later I logged into online bank account. I remember seeing $40 in my checking account,” Osweiler said, noting there were still three more weeks before his next check to spend on gas, food and emergencies.

After the wake-up call, Osweiler penned a budget.

“There are three things I want to leave with you,” Osweiler said. “It doesn’t matter if you make $40 a month, $400, $4,000, $4 million — whatever you make in a month you need to have a budget.”

He said the other points were to save for emergencies and “if you don’t have cash to make purchases, don’t do it.”

Flathead business teacher Jeff Thompson sat at the back of Osweiler’s team providing a little help to students. Thompson had Osweiler as a student for three years.

“He took a lot of business classes — personal finance, marketing, and sports entertainment marketing,” Thompson said.

Thompson said it was great to see an NFL player defy the stereotype that professional athletes make a lot of money and don’t have to worry about finances.

Jess Beaman, a junior at Flathead and a student in Thompson’s Sports Entertainment and Marketing class, echoed that sentiment.

“Even people making this kind of money have to worry about financing,” Beaman said.

Beaman said it was exciting to have a successful Flathead graduate visit. Beaman plays on the Braves football team and noted that his brother had played football with Osweiler in high school.

“It’s awesome and gives everyone positive reinforcement maybe they can make it into the big leagues,” Beaman said.

After Osweiler’s team clinched a win in the “Financial Football” video game, Osweiler chatted with his former business teacher, Tara Barnes.

“My epiphany to go to Arizona State and play football over basketball happened in Miss Barnes’ class,” Osweiler said.

Barnes kept up with Osweiler’s sports career after high school.

“My last year at ASU, I’m playing at Washington State and it’s cold, it’s freezing and there’s Miss Barnes standing on the sidelines.”

Since the Denver Broncos lost in the Super Bowl earlier this year, Osweiler was asked by reporters if there was pressure to win next season.

“I think there’s pressure every year,” Osweiler said. “Those expectations of being a Denver Bronco is that you’re going to contend for a Super Bowl every year, and that’s the goal, and nothing less, so I wouldn’t call it pressure but obviously that’s the goal and that’s what we’re working toward.”

He also was asked if he was expecting more playing time.

“A long time ago I was taught only worry about the things that you can control, so I’m going to prepare every day and be ready to play when my number gets called, but I can’t tell you when that’s going to be,” Osweiler said.

Online:

www.practicalmoneyskills.com/games/trainingcamp

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.