( HLNtv.com ) -- The father of slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin gave Florida A & M football players an inspiring speech and a great lesson on the virtues of perseverance , said the team 's head coach , Earl Holmes . So Holmes gave Tracy Martin something in return : a captaincy . After being invited recently to speak to the Rattlers football team in Tallahassee , Florida , Trayvon 's father was named an honorary captain for FAMU 's 2013 football season . He will join them on the field September 1 for their season opener against Mississippi Valley State and participate in the pregame coin toss . `` He was very , very encouraging , '' Holmes told the Orlando Sentinel . The Rattlers ' coach said Martin `` had some inspiring words and the guys played off that . '' Martin `` got a standing ovation from our guys . He talked about just persevering and told the guys to keep on pushing through the hard times . The message he shared with the kids was very positive and they were very responsive . '' Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in Sanford , Florida , in February 2012 by George Zimmerman . Last month , Zimmerman -- a former neighborhood watch volunteer -- was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in the death . Since the verdict , Tracy Martin has been traveling and speaking on behalf of the Trayvon Martin Foundation , which provides support and advocacy for families of crime victims and seeks to `` educate youth on conflict resolution techniques . '' `` I think what he 's doing with the foundation is big and it speaks volumes , and I want the football team and FAMU nation to be part of that , '' Holmes said . `` We 're going to keep pushing for him and his foundation . He 'll be an honorary captain for us this year and he 's welcome any time . ''
Florida A & M 's coach invites Tracy Martin , Steve 's brother , to play . He receives a standing invitation from the players . Tracy Martin is named the honorary captain for the Falcons ' season .