RENTON — The coach, the mayor and the businessman sat on a stage. And, no, this isn't the setup for a joke.

This was the scene at the Seahawks' headquarters Thursday as the NFL team's coach, Pete Carroll, Mayor Mike McGinn and Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer announced the start of "A Better Seattle."

The community campaign will help raise money and develop community workers for street outreach. "A Better Seattle" will be managed by the Seahawks, and support the YMCA's Alive & Free program, which seeks to reduce violence.

Carroll first became involved with the issue when he was in Los Angeles, coaching at the University of Southern California. It was 2002, the week the Trojans were playing Notre Dame, one of USC's biggest rivals. Driving to work, Carroll heard a radio report that detailed two victims of gang violence in Los Angeles.

The next day, another report of fatalities stemming from the same conflict. By Thursday, 11 kids had been killed. Carroll felt a gut-level pull to help address that problem.

"That's where it started," Carroll said.

Carroll called Lou Tice, director of the Seattle-based Pacific Institute. That became the genesis for "A Better LA," which was founded in 2003. It has an annual budget of $2.1 million, which funds more than 50 community workers. Homicides have dropped in four targeted areas since the program started.

When Carroll was hired to be the Seahawks coach in January 2010, he didn't bring "A Better LA" north with him, but he did have a blueprint for how to build an effective organization.

"I kind of had a thought somebody would knock on our door," Carroll said.

Turned out, Carroll soon was knocking on Ballmer's door. Ballmer was visiting Seahawks owner Paul Allen at the team's headquarters when he met Carroll.

Ballmer said it was Carroll's enthusiasm that sold him on becoming involved.

"Just the passion, the energy, the drive," Ballmer said. "I think that's the way a lot of things got solved."

Ballmer was at the news conference as a private citizen, Carroll was the one with the vision, and the Seahawks will manage the campaign.

McGinn expressed appreciation for the continued effort to address the problem of violence in our communities.

"Thank you for all of the work you're doing," McGinn said.

Danny O'Neil: 206-464-2364 or doneil@seattletimes.com