大象APP

Golden, who played under former UA head coach Mike Stoops from 2008-11, is the third honorary captain this season, along with ex-Arizona star cornerback Chris McAlister and kicker Max Zendejas.

鈥淭ucson, that鈥檚 like my second home,鈥� Golden said on Friday. 鈥淭o be able to come back and reconnect with fans and some of the guys and see what the new coaching staff is implementing from a culture standpoint, it鈥檚 going to be very exciting. I鈥檓 definitely looking forward to it.鈥�

Golden played for the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent for six seasons. Golden recorded 80 tackles in 92 games and was the Steelers鈥� special teams captain in 2016. Golden briefly signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018 before he retired leading up to the season to open Golden Charter Academy, a K-8 school, in his hometown of Fresno, California, where the curriculum is centered around the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.

Back in 大象APPthis weekend, Golden is not only reuniting with the school and football program he played for, he鈥檚 paying a visit to his longtime friend and former teammate Chip Viney, the Wildcats鈥� cornerbacks coach. Golden and Viney were teammates at Edison High School in Fresno.

鈥淰iney and I go way back,鈥� Golden said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a relationship and brotherhood that we鈥檝e established,鈥� Golden said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited that he gets to witness and experience the 大象APPculture and family experience that鈥檚 out there, the same way I experienced it during my college days.鈥�

Viney, who played cornerback at UCLA, was moved to safety, 鈥渂ecause Rob could just shut down one side of the field and I knew how to fit the box and the run.鈥�

鈥淢an, that鈥檚 one of my best friends. We still keep in touch. That鈥檚 like a brother to me. I鈥檓 really proud of him for what he did for this university on to the NFL and what he鈥檚 doing now back in our hometown and our community with Golden Charter Academy,鈥� Viney said. 鈥淩ob is awesome. There鈥檚 a ton of stories I could tell you offline about my recruitment and the process.

鈥淚鈥檒l tell you this: I was very close to being a Wildcat. When Rob came to school here, as most freshmen do, he was having some hard times and Rob and I talked a lot. The one thing that I remember him saying to me, when we were both playing, was the people here, the place, the school and how much he loved it. When I got the job and got a call from him, he said those same words to me. Being here, in the short time that I鈥檝e been here, I can attest to that, too, now.鈥�

Golden joined 鈥淪pears and Ali鈥� on ESPN 大象APPthis week to talk about updates with Golden Charter Academy 鈥� and the possibility of a campus coming to Tucson. Here鈥檚 what Golden said:

What鈥檚 new with Golden Charter Academy since you opened up its doors in 2021?

A: 鈥淲e鈥檙e the first environmental stewardship zoo school in the nation. We really get to give our students the opportunity to learn about conservation and environmental literacy.

鈥淲hat really makes us different is we鈥檙e not just teaching the students the knowledge and skills they need to make the right decisions regarding the environment, but we actually set dates for them to go out and put their hands in the dirt and make a very positive impact on the environment.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been able to do some really cool things. We have over 700 students on our waiting list. We鈥檙e at max capacity right now, but Fresno is just the first of many zoos I鈥檓 working with.

鈥淗opefully we can bring another educational model to other zoos looking to do similar things. Before you know it, hopefully we鈥檙e coming to 大象APPto do something with Reid Park Zoo in the near future.

鈥淚鈥檓 definitely excited about the trajectory of being able to transform what education looks like, and to have in my hometown where I grew up, it鈥檚 truly an honor. I鈥檓 excited every day that I get to step on this campus and see the lives that we鈥檙e impacting with these students.鈥�

Can you peel back the curtain and share the challenges of having a unique school like Golden Charter Academy?

A: 鈥淏eing in the third-biggest district, Fresno Unified School District, there鈥檚 a lot that goes on with that. Being able to develop the school is one thing, but collaborating with the zoo to build curriculum that not only aligns with the state standard, but aligns with the next generation of science standards.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a whole deal in itself. From my standpoint, as the CEO of the school, I鈥檓 always looking to bring on additional resources.

鈥淲e鈥檙e also in the middle of building our state-of-the-art facility adjacent to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, so I鈥檓 doing a lot of project management with that. I have a principal and an assistant principal and they鈥檙e here leading the curriculum.

鈥淣o one day is the same for me ever, but it鈥檚 definitely exciting to come on campus and see the smiles on the kids鈥� faces every day. It鈥檚 bigger than education when you talk to some of the students who attend this school. We鈥檙e giving them opportunities and exposure that鈥檚 different than what they鈥檙e accustomed to in their neighborhoods. I truly feel honored and blessed to be living in my purpose and doing this work.鈥�

How did you come up with the concept of Golden Charter Academy?

A: 鈥淕rowing up where I grew up in southwest Fresno, there are a lot of underserved and under-resourced people living in those communities. If you want change, you have to be the change. When it came to me putting this school, it was all about community engagement and taking action.

鈥淚 wanted to let our students know that if you want to make your neighborhood better, more sustainable, healthier and bring different resources to the community, you gotta be the voice and the change to do it. When I started to play with this idea, I got to connect with the lead environmental educator at Fresno State and she introduced me to environmental education and what that would look like.

鈥淢issions aligned and we were able to put something together that is really special.鈥�