Your Health Is Not Optional
Jonelle Clark's message to the coaching community at the American Football Coaches Association Convention
“On September 20th, I was Coach Shawn Clark's wife. And on September 21st, I was Coach Shawn Clark's widow.”
— Jonelle Clark, 2026 AFCA Convention
A Call to Action for Every Coach
In January 2026, Jonelle Clark stood before the American Football Coaches Association and shared her story for the first time. Her husband, Coach Shawn Clark — the offensive line coach at UCF who had just turned 50 — suffered a sudden medical emergency while attending their daughter's high school volleyball game. The last thing he did was video his baby girl doing what she loved.
What followed was tragic, but what pains Jonelle most is knowing it didn't have to end that way. With proper healthcare awareness and intervention, it could have been prevented.
Her message to the room was direct: the coaches who give everything to their players, their programs, and the game are giving nothing to their own health. And the people who love them are the ones who pay the price.
In Her Words
“You give everything to the game, you give everything to your players, and too often you give nothing to your own health. You don't have time. That's what happened to my husband.”
“No one prepares your family for what happens when you do not come home. No one prepares your wife to answer questions she never imagined she would have to answer. No one prepares your children to grow up without their dad. No one prepares a family for a loss that could have been prevented.”
“Your health is not optional. Getting a physical is not a weakness, and monitoring your blood pressure is not an inconvenience. Taking care of yourself is not selfish. It's your responsibility.”
“College football's almost unrecognizable, and with all of the changes we've accepted, why can't we have a standard of care for our coaches? Not a suggestion, not an afterthought, but a standard of care, a baseline of care.”
The Challenge
Jonelle challenged every coach in that room — and every coach reading this now — with words that speak directly to the purpose of this foundation:
“I challenge you to prioritize your health and wellness. Not someday, not when you have time, not when the season slows down, not when it's convenient. Now. Get your physical. Know your numbers. Monitor your blood pressure. Address the stress.”
— Jonelle Clark
Why 61?
In closing her address, Jonelle explained the meaning behind the number that now drives this foundation's flagship program:
“Shawn's number as a player was number 61. Think about it like this. A football game has 60 minutes. Take that one extra moment to take care of yourself.”
The 61 Initiative is the direct result of the mission Jonelle described that day — challenging schools across the country to mandate physicals for coaches and establish a baseline standard of care for the people who give so much of themselves to the game.
Answer the Call
Get Your Physical
Join the 61 Initiative and commit to an annual physical. Know your numbers. Take that one extra moment.
Share the Message
Share this video with your staff, your program, your conference. Jonelle asked coaches to listen — help her reach more of them.
Support the Cause
Your donation helps bring health screenings and wellness resources directly to coaches and their programs.
“Healthy coaches lead longer, they perform better, and they don't leave their families too soon. I do not want another family changed by something preventable.”
— Jonelle Clark