Earning a spot
##### Busy week for Pashos off the field
Offensive tackle Tony Pashos is known for his commitment to the Jacksonville community and this week was no different. Pashos began his week by speaking on Tuesday to The Southside Rotary Club at River City Brewing Company.
On Wednesday, he volunteered his time at a local store to sign autographs in support of the HEAL Foundation. The organization is developing a community that is dedicated to autism medical research, treatment and education of individuals, community awareness, and, ultimately, prevention of autism spectrum disorders. Pashos was joined by teammates Derek Landri, Vince Manuwai and Drew Miller at the store.
Pashos made a surprise visit to West Jacksonville Elementary School on Thursday where he distributed numerous gifts and spoke to students. He met with the fifth grade class and took questions from the students about being an NFL player.
"You have to have a backup plan," Pashos told the students. "The average life span of an NFL player is only two years. You need to think about what you are going to do. You have to stay out of trouble, away from drugs and be around the right people. Make the right decisions."
Pashos concluded his visit with a trip to the first grade class where he read Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn to the students.
Trivia question
##### Testing their tennis game
Several of the Jaguars spent Thursday morning at Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, participating in a kids' tennis clinic in conjunction with the MPS Group Championships and the Jack Del Rio Foundation. The women's professional tennis tournament is part of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Jaguars players Troy Williamson, Mike Walker, Scott Starks, Paul Smith and Cleo Lemon spent time on the court trying their hand at tennis with several professional players, and concluded the event by signing autographs and taking pictures. The tournament runs through Sunday, April 12.
Getting acclimated
##### Jazzing it up
An accomplished trumpet player, Jaguars running back Montell Owens spent time Monday practicing with the St. Johns River City High School Jazz All-Stars. Owens has teamed up with 12 area high school students interested in music to form a group that will perform at the upcoming Jazz Festival on May 23 at the Jacksonville Landing.
Draft is set
##### Trivia answer
Each NFL team can have a maximum of 80 players under contract when training camp starts.
The last word
"Some of the things that our bodies have not done before, trying to pull your legs up to your stomach as linemen, or trying to do hand walks where you put your hands in front of you and you have to walk your legs up to your hands. Getting more flexible, the stretching. We're just not lifting weights and then everybody leaves. We're doing from A to Z with the stretching, the trigger points, loosening up your body, then you build up your body. You're building up your core so that way it helps your back and that way you can sustain a longer period of time."
