ON BREAK:

While the last school year was winding down, Michael Borchard and JD Abbott started Athletes in Motion at Corona del Mar High School to find a way for busy athletes to carve out what little spare time they have to give back to the community.

The plan must have worked. The two football players are overbooked with two-a-day practices and getting ready for school, yet they found time this summer to organize a book drive to benefit Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Meanwhile, the juniors hope the book drive also helps get their burgeoning club off the ground.

The idea behind Athletes in Motion is to plan volunteer opportunities around their busy schedules. The duo headed off to lunch Monday with their cars packed, but they weren’t carrying helmets or shoulder pads.

“The entire back seat of my car is filled with books,” Michael said.

Michael and JD organized a “Books for Burgers” drive, which started Monday and will finish Thursday at Corona del Mar High School. The two contacted several companies asking for free gifts they could hand out to book donors, and Carl’s Jr. was the first to respond, they said. Children’s Hospital was the first to sign up to receive the books. It’s a simple plan: Donate a book and get a coupon for a free burger. Michael and JD will deliver the books to the hospital for the sick kids to read. The response Monday overwhelmed the two.

“Today’s only the first day of the drive, and we have a bin that’s overflowing,” JD said. “I think it’s great. Everyone’s been behind it.”

“We were expecting to get a good amount, but not this many,” Michael said, adding the two collected hundreds of books.

JD, a varsity running back last year, and Michael, a junior who plays multiple positions, don’t fit the bill of star athletes with inflated egos. Rather, they’re just glad to be able to reach out to the community.

“We’re both really fortunate,” Michael said. “If everyone’s helping each other out it just makes the community that much better.”