Meet Wesley Warren: A 7-year-old Saints fan wins essay contest to be ‘Super Kid’

A 7-year-old Saints fan is the NFL’s ‘Super Kid’

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Wesley Warren wrote her way to the Super Bowl.

Wesley, a 7-year-old from Metarie, La., was selected as the NFL’s Super Kid for Sunday’s title game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints, the winner of an essay contest about how she stays healthy.

It was part of the NFL’s “PLAY 60″ program, which encourages kids to be active for 60 minutes daily.

“The Saints have made me realize how important teamwork is and how sometimes you have to work really hard for a long, long, long time to get what you want,” Wesley wrote in her winning entry, which was picked by a panel that included Josh Cribbs, Paul Posluszny, A.J. Hawk and Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

It’s just coincidence that she’s a Saints fan at the big game — Wesley was selected in early January as the winner, long before New Orleans made the Super Bowl.

“Drew Brees and the Saints have made me and my friends want to play outside with each other and enjoy our beautiful city. My family always watches the Saints game and after each win we go to the park to celebrate by throwing the football,” Wesley wrote.

Another twist to the story, which the NFL wasn’t aware of when choosing Wesley as the winner: Her mother was once a baby sitter for Peyton and Eli Manning in Louisiana.

The Warrens were displaced for a year to Texas after Hurricane Katrina. On Sunday, they’ll see Wesley run onto the field just before kickoff: The Super Kid’s job is to hand the game ball to the referee a few moments before the game starts.

SAY A LITTLE PRAYER: Pauline Sharper says the same prayer on every game day for her son, New Orleans’ Darren Sharper.

Super Bowl Sunday will be no different.

“Lord, please take care of my child and keep him from all hurt, harm and danger. Keep him safe,” Pauline Sharper says.

Of course, this is the Super Bowl. Will she break out a couple extra prayers, just in case?

“Just might,” she said with a hearty laugh.

Pauline Sharper was one of about 50 women from the Professional Football Players Mothers Association who were touring the media center Friday. They were all wearing red to help raise awareness about heart disease in women.

“I am feeling very excited,” Pauline Sharper said. “I am feeling very optimistic that we are going to have a big win … the city of New Orleans truly deserves to have this win because they have gone through so much with the Katrina catastrophe.”

GEAR FOR HAITI: Some New Orleans or Indianapolis gear is soon heading to earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

T-shirts and caps that the Super Bowl winner will wear in the on-field celebration are printed ahead of time, meaning piles and piles of items with either the Saints or Colts logo — whichever team loses — would otherwise be wasted.

Since 1992, the humanitarian organization World Vision has sent the NFL’s unused game-day items to various needy areas, with Haiti the easy pick this year. More items will be headed to the Port-au-Prince region in the coming months.

“For years, World Vision has helped us to ensure that no NFL apparel goes to waste,” said David Krichavsky, the NFL Director of Community Relations.

The NFL estimates that clothing with about a retail worth of $2 million will be shipped in all.

SUPER WEATHER: Indications are that Sunday’s Super Bowl will be dry, and played in cool air by South Florida standards.

Forecasters say a cold front is expected to bring a chance of rain Saturday, especially in the morning. Saturday night should have a low of around 50 degrees and the projected temperature for kickoff is 66 degrees, a few degrees below normal for this time of year in the Miami area.

By game’s end, the temperature could fall into the upper 50s, which might seem downright balmy by Indianapolis’ February standards.

LIFE ON THE BIG SCREEN: Michael Oher of the Baltimore Ravens has had a great year, on and off the field.

Besides playing offensive tackle for the Ravens, the world also got to know his personal journey in the movie “The Blind Side,” starring Sandra Bullock.”

“I always wanted to get to this level,” Oher said. “Just to get to come in and play right away and have the type of season I had … it was great for me and I had a lot of fun.”

Oher’s story is getting to be well-known. He was a homeless teen in Memphis, Tenn., taken in by a wealthy family and enrolled in private school, became a standout at Mississippi and picked by the Ravens with the 23rd selection in the first round of the 2009 draft.

“It was great, great movie,” Oher said. “I really enjoyed it, an inspiring story. … It’s crazy because I have always been a movie guy but to able to go watch a movie about me, it is unbelievable. I will never get used to it.”

Associated Press Writer Lisa Orkin Emmanuel contributed to this report.