James’ Journey to Super Bowl XLVI

By Patrick Welter–1/31/2012
James Gale used to struggle to find clean water. Now he’s presenting the game ball at Super Bowl XLVI.
Last month James won the NFL Play 60 Super Kid contest. NFL Play 60 is the NFL’s campaign to promote youth health and fitness. James lived in Liberia until he was adopted by an American family when he was 5 years old. James believes his story separated him from the more than 10,000 contestants.
Today at the NFL Experience facility in Indianapolis, James told WEBN about his life in Liberia. “We didn’t have good water or a house or anything. We could only have one or two meals a day and if we found anything to eat we’d just eat it.”
James remembers being confused when he first came to America. “I didn’t know what was happening. Iit took me a little to get used to. I didn’t know my family…. who they were at first, but they helped me grow up. They gave me good nutrition and I love them.”
James is now eleven years old. In his essay he wrote that he loves to play football like his favorite player, New England Patriot Wes Welker.
James says he likes Welker because “he’s not the biggest guy [but] he’s strong and not afraid to get hit. He uses his mind to get around really fast and that’s what makes him a great [player].”
One day James wants to play in the NFL. As for Sunday, James is confident the Patriots will win. He says he expects them to win “100 to nothing.”