Getting back in control

The career Jeff Markland had planned was cut short by a sports injury and a 20-year addiction to drugs. But now, Markland, a former NFL player for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins, says he's enjoying true success.

"I'm doing good things with my life and I know who I am and what I want to do with my life," he said.

Markland spoke to students at Notre Dame Regional High School Monday afternoon during a school assembly.

He talked about his addiction to alcohol and drugs and how that addiction lead him to criminal activities. He served a year in prison and then turned his life around after becoming a Christian.

Markland is now an ordained minister and speaker for Sports World, a ministry program based in Indianapolis, Ind. His four-day visit to Southeast Missouri is sponsored by the Christian Businessmen's Fellowship and includes stops at nine area schools.

He also spoke to students at Teen Challenge Mid-America on Monday evening. Markland is a 1995 graduate of the Teen Challenge program and wanted to visit the campus here. Teen Challenge offers drug education programs and a one-year program that helps people learn to live drug-free.

The men there are willing to listen, Markland said. It's a humbling experience to be there but he wanted to "give back to something that supported me. I wanted to tell them there is hope for them. That's what I found."

Dealing with setbacks

Sometimes people have setbacks from the bad choices they make in life, Markland said. He knows that from experience: He became so addicted to drugs that he lost his focus on his career and relationships.

A knee injury prematurely ended his football career. During his recovery, he and his father made a model for what became the Reebok slide lateral trainer. After making the slide, Markland became focused on money and still supported his drug habits.

During a fit of anger, he damaged his roommate's bike and was given probation. After violating his probation, a judge sentenced Markland to a year in prison.

It wasn't until prison that Markland began to grow up and realized he needed to change his life, he said.

"When you make stupid choices you no longer have control over the consequences," he said. "It takes a change of character."

Markland will take his message to students in Cape Girardeau and Cairo, Ill. today and Nell Holcomb and Perryville, Mo., on Wednesday. He speaks at Anna-Jonesboro High School in Anna, Ill. on Thursday morning.