NORMAN — Vince Carter made a name for himself on the gridiron. As an all-American with the University of Oklahoma, Carter was almost able to write his own ticket into professional football.

But after a couple of years of bouncing around from team to team and different leagues, Carter found that he was not doing what he wanted. Even though he was still playing football, his heart wasn't in it.

"I had the opportunity to go play Arena football," Carter said. "But my heart wasn't there anymore. I was in practice and happy to be there because I was doing what I wanted to do. Or at least what I thought I wanted to do."

So instead of hanging around and playing just to collect a nice paycheck, Carter followed his heart. He put down the helmet and picked up a microphone, which even surprised him.

"My plan was just to be playing ball and living out my NFL fantasies," Carter said. "After I gave that up last March and decided to strictly focus on my music ministry, it changed my life and perspective. I wouldn't want to be do anything else but this."

Carter now raps and sings Christian music. His new career is a far departure from his old job. When he was an offensive lineman for the Sooners, his task was to keep opponents away from his quarterback. Now as a Christian artist Carter is all about bringing people together.

Carter's first album will drop in May and is titled MAGOH (Man After God's Own Heart). It's a compilation of rap songs and urban Christian music that he wrote himself.

When Carter is not making music at his studio in Norman he is still trying to get the word out about his faith.

Friday, Carter toured schools in Lawton. He was joined by former Sooners Roy Williams and Josh Norman former Oklahoma State players Rashaun Woods and Aso Pogi.

Along with handing out autographed footballs and jerseys from the players, Williams was scheduled to speak and Carter was going to perform at Cache High that night.

"We are basically here to share the good news," Carter said. "Aso Pogi, Roy Williams, Grady Brewer, we had the opportunity to go to five or six schools, promote education and invite them to this event we are doing. Try to get them excited about being young and take the opportunity to serve Jesus."

But when the people showed up they were given some bad news. Seven of the guest athletes were unable to make it. That left just Carter and a local group called Youth in Motion to entertain the disappointed audience.

However, Carter used the situation as a challenge. He performed several songs from his upcoming album and helped turn what could have been a disaster into somewhat of a success.

"That guy represents everything I want my son to represent," Pogi said about Carter.

One of the things Carter wants to represent with his music is the new style that is hitting Christianity. He believes that in order to get the younger generation excited about being a Christian, they have to incorporate elements of the secular world.

That is why at the event in Cache, attendees where able to see young men and women singing, rapping, dancing and doing skits about the pressures kids face in today's world.

"To get them out here and present a side of the faith they normally do not see," Carter said. "The kids in the area go to church, but it's the kind of same repetitive thing over and over again and they really don't know how to serve within their own culture. The culture of the youth is different from the generations above us. Just trying to show them you can have fun and praise God in your own way."

Carter also wanted to show people that professional athletes are not all just out there causing trouble, despite what they see in the media.

"It's important," Carter said. "But at the same time, what's in a man is going to come out of a man. We are not trying to do this to show we are good people. This is what we do. We love kids and we want to influence them. They see so much in the news about athletes and they look up to those guys. This is an opportunity to show them you can be an athlete or in the limelight and serve God at the same time."

While Carter is certain he made the right career decision, getting football out of his system is not easy.

"It was tough," Carter said. "And even now I am still turning down jobs. This is where my heart is now. It's still pretty tough, but knowing that I am exactly where God wants me to be, there is no better place than that."

Michael Kinney 366-3537 mkinney@normantranscript.com