College: University of Kentucky
Hometown: Hopkinsville KY
NFL teams: Detroit, Minnesota, Atlanta                                                                                            

Artose Pinner attended Hopkinsville High School in Hopkinsville, Kentucky where he was a standout football player.  Pinner was a star running back for the University of Kentucky between the years of 1999 and 2002. During his career at UK, Pinner ran for 1,414 yards in 2002, second-most in a single season in school history. He received 1^st team All SEC honors and was named 2002 SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Pinner was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 2003 NFL draft.  After a 6 year career, he hung up his cleats.  Making good on a promise that he made many years ago to his mother, he later returned to the University of Kentucky in 2013 where he received his degree in Media Arts and Studies. These days instead of avoiding tackles, Artose spends most of his time empowering youth and tackling their issues.

Whether it’s sharing with them the importance of eating healthy and getting active for at least 60 minutes a day, through SUDIA and the NFL Fuel Up to Play 60 Program, or Inspiring kids through reading with the help of Will Power and his children’s book series Willville, empowering short stories that will serve to build self-esteem, foster perseverance, and encourage the pursuit of dreams and aspirations, in spite of how difficult challenges may appear.

As a youngster Artose was faced with many of his own personal challenges. He struggled with severe asthma and was a victim of bullying, but he did not allow having asthma to be a limitation nor did he allow being bullied to keep him from trying. He believed in himself and he never gave up.

Now, through the Willville series, Artose wants to arouse and inspire the same strength of character, resolve, and passion within children. He believes that the Willville series through; ENCOURAGEMENT, INSPIRATION, and STORIES of TRUIMPH OVER ADVERSITY, will assist children in recognizing that they too, can fulfill their greatest dreams as long as they believe in themselves and never give up.