(WBBM NEWSRADIO) - You may know 29-year-old Kyle Prater as the 2010 star wide receiver at Proviso West High School, USC, and then Northwestern.
"I was born and raised in Maywood. My dad got me into football, he's the one who put the football in my hand," he recalled. "When I was a senior in high school, I was rated the number one wide receiver in the nation. That same year, we went to the playoffs for the first time in 60 years." he smiled.
During a short stint in the NFL he was plagued with injuries.
"I went undrafted with the Browns and then the Saints brought me in for a workout and they signed me, but I had tons of injuries. Broke my left foot, Jones fracture surgery, right foot surgery, meniscus right knee, lacerated my kidney, torn quad, broke my SC joint, concussion, all over the years." he said and, as a result, he struggled with an opioid addiction.
"There were some dark days. I wondered why I kept putting myself through this."
Prater said he soon knew he needed to turn his life around and find a new path.
"Football was all I knew. When I let it go, I had to find out who I was after the game which is what a lot of athletes have to do but I take pride in trying to find myself again.
He decided to share his transition after football through film and established Chasing Greatness Productions and began telling the stories of brands, products, and people through film.
"My dad also had a video camera in his hand. He had a VHS recorder and recorded everything. The same video he captured, I used in my documentary."
Prater has made three films that he calls a journey of self discovery while producing art.
"For me I just love storytelling, seeing pictures move, the art, the sound, the music, the art, all the work that goes into it. I didn't go to school for anything I do today. It was something that turned out to be my calling." he smiled.
Prater’s first project, “Shifting Gears (2018)” was about transitioning into a next phase of life after football and finding an interest in filmmaking and coaching kids. It received “Best Inspirational Award” at the Lucky Strike Film Festival.
“Shifting Gears II” revealed the internal battles when going from something we’ve done our entire life but realize we’ve been wearing a mask while doing it. Prater revealed his mask.
"I just want to heal. It started out with me telling my truth. Being injury prone, having five surgeries and being addicted to opioids during my career. For me, my calling is to create things that give people hope. As a storyteller I have the opportunity to shape, shift."
He also coaches high school football, hosts back to school events and partnered with his former middle school to host something called Building Self Love.
"During the pandemic, I wanted to reach kids because I knew if I was in their position I wouldn't know what to do. We did a virtual panel where the kids were interviewing me. It was cool to build their self esteem and get them ready for the world," Prater said
Prater said the pressure to perform on the field took a toll on his mental health.
He now uses his new chapter to help young athletes and their families find the right balance.
"No one realizes what athletes go through. They only see performance. We are performance based. It's all about output. We don't get much help or input on mental health. ‘How you feeling today,’ instead it's like, ‘you dropped that pass, man.’ It was always, ‘perform, perform, perform,’ and that took a mental toll." he recalled.
His injuries derailed his professional football career but now he said he knows everything happens for a reason, and he's a better person because of it.
"Look where I am today. I'm on the other side of it and I'm ten times better today." he smiled.
Prater said looking back, he knows he hit rock bottom, and gets choked up thinking how far he's come.
"I get emotional because I think about my support network," he paused. "I work my ass off to get to where I'm at," he said, tearfully." There were times where I didn't think I'd be where I'm at. Now I'm confident more than I ever have. There is a formula I created for myself. This is therapy every time I talk about it."
Prater's next project is an athlete driven NFT collection he plans to launch later this year.
