Trayvon Martin's dad named honorary captain of Florida A&M football team

Trayvon Martin's father Tracy will serve as an honorary captain for Florida A&M's football team. (MCT via Getty Images)

Florida A&M's football program has named Tracy Martin as an honorary captain after he gave a speech to the team last weekend, reports The Orlando Sentinel's Chris Hays. 

Martin is the father of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teenager who was killed in February 2012 in a shooting that drew national attention. George Zimmerman, Martin's shooter, was found not guilty last month on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges. (For more on the case, click here.)

Tracy Martin's speech to the team was about perseverance, FAMU coach Earl Holmes told Hays.

From Hays' report:

 "[He] got a standing ovation from our guys," Holmes said. "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.

"That was very, very powerful meeting and a powerful message he gave to the kids. You could see it… The guys' eyes just lit up."

Martin will be on the field for the coin toss at the season opener against Mississippi Valley State and will serve as honorary captain for the season, Holmes told Hays.

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Holmes said that he wants his team to be involved with the Trayvon Martin Foundation, founded by the teen's parents after his death. The foundation's mission is to "create awareness of how violent crime impacts the families of the victims."