A Former Denver Broncos captain and All-Pro, Karl Mecklenburg rose from being a college walk-on and a 12th round draft pick to a pro career that included six Pro Bowl and three Super Bowl appearances.  Considered the NFL's most versatile player, Karl played all seven defensive front positions.  Bronco coaches wanted him at the point of attack and would move him throughout the game.  There were many games where Mecklenburg played all 7 positions in the course of a single game.  

Since retiring from pro football in 1995, Karl divides his time between family, motivational speaking, and his ongoing charity involvements.  Karl and his wife Kathi have three children.  The Mecklenburgs still live in Littleton Colorado and attend West Bowles Community Church.  In 2001 Karl was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.  He also serves on the Broncos Alumni Council.    The Mecklenburgs have had a strong commitment to many Colorado charities through the years, which they continue to uphold. 

In 2006 they formed the Karl Mecklenburg REACH Foundation in an effort to further impact the youth of Colorado.  REACH stands for rewarding experiences for all children.  A reading program and hands on experiential learning opportunities for Denver area youth, develop lifelong passions for learning and a willingness to take on new challenges.  Join us for our second annual golf tournament on July 16th,  2007.  To learn more about REACH and the tournament, go to www.karlmecklenburg.org  Karl has had numerous speaking engagements with church, school and civic groups.  Karl and Kathi have both served on the board of directors for Pros With A Purpose.  Pros works with Denver Rescue Mission to pair homeless families with community mentor-teams [volunteers].  These teams help the families to help themselves by providing budgeting, spiritual and vocational guidance as well as financial support such as apartment security deposit funds.  Karl is a Trustee of Colorado Youth Outdoors. www.coloradoyo.org  CYO brings high schoolers and their parents together to learn about and experience traditional outdoor sports.  Karl has also served as an honorary board member with The Fellowship of Christian Athletes and  Aspen Youth Experience.   Both Karl and Kathi are deeply involved with A.Y.E.  A.Y.E. brings inner city kids out of their normal urban environment to Aspen, Colorado.  Most are leaving the city for the first time.  This is a horizon broadening experience for the kids, in which they not only enjoy the beauty of nature, but also participate in many counseling, therapy and physically challenging situations.  Through various activities such as camping, rap sessions, learning to ski, a ropes challenge course, and spending time with stable host-families, these at risk kids learn not only how to set goals, but more importantly, how to challenge themselves to reach their goals.  The Aspen Youth Experience philosophy is that every wall contains a door to a better future.  Karl says, "A.Y.E. makes a long-term commitment to the kids that go through the program.  Many of these children come from unstable families and knowing that we believe in them and are following their progress intently makes a huge difference in their lives."  To learn more about Aspen Youth Experience go to www.AGAE.org .   Karl's latest community involvement is hosting The 2nd Annual Straight Shot Sporting Clay Event, August 10 & 11, 2007 at Peaceful Valley. The two day event is the largest of its kind and benefits programs at Cerebral Palsy of Colorado's four early education centers, the new 61,000+ square foot campus at Lowry, and CP's Infantile Scoliosis Outreach Program. CP of Colorado creates, supports, and encourages inclusive opportunities for Coloradoans of all abilities and their families, through early intervention, education, employment, statewide training, information and referral, advocacy, public education services and collaborative strategies. Eighty-nine cents of every dollar goes directly into programs and donations qualify for the Colorado Child Care Tax Credit. www.cpco.org   Karl is a member of the National Speakers Association.  He has enjoyed speaking to a variety of groups over the years, and his story is both humorous and inspirational.  The lessons life in the NFL taught him about teamwork, courage, dedication, desire, honesty and forgiveness, and goal setting can be applied anywhere.  Mecklenburg has used his special brand of motivation as an assistant football coach at Kent Denver High School, the Independent School that his son attended.  Karl works with Accent Windows as a spokesman www.accentwindows.com .  He has hosted a radio program, done television sideline reporting and studio work, written columns for the Denver Post and had magazine articles published.  In 1987 he was the coauthor of Meck For The Defense, published by McGraw-Hill.   Look for his new book "Heart of a Student Athlete" coming soon.  "When it's all said and done, I want to be known as a speaker who played football, not the other way around."