newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2009/0708/sports/046.htmlBroncos' Reid brings skills, drills and smiles to youths
Looking for a winning combination of fun on a hot, summer day? Add one part football, mix in enthusiastic children, and add a heaping dose of an NFL Super Bowl champion and the results will be sure to yield excitement.
PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Christian Sparacio, 13, of Marlboro, takes part in a receiving drill during a football camp that featured Freehold High School graduate Darrell Reid of the Denver Broncos.
Approximately 100 smiles were in abundance on June 27 at Darrell Reid's Footz Foundation's Skills and Drills Football Camp, held in conjunction with the National Football League, Impact Sports, and the YMCA of Western Monmouth County.
Reid, a Freehold Borough native who formerly played for the Indianapolis Colts and now plays for the Denver Broncos, started the Footz Foundation in 2007 to help keep local youngsters off the streets and interested in something beneficial.
"You are here today because someone cares about you," he told the children. "You will have some tough choices to make, but you have to work hard and do the right thing."
Ashante Worthy, 10, practices his passing skills during a one-day football camp that was held at Freehold High School, Freehold Borough, on June 27.
The free, one-day, no-contact football camp was made possible through the work of the Footz Foundation and a grant from the NFL, said Brittney Brothers, events coordinator for Impact Sports Group of Indianapolis, the firm which coordinated the event.
"The NFL gives out grants to any player who applies and plans on attending the camp," Brothers explained. "This is the first time we have held a camp for Darrell and we really didn't know what to expect, but it has turned out wonderfully. Darrell does this to give back to the community that raised him and these kids are loving it."
Youngsters between the ages of 6 and 9, and 10 and 13 were broken down into groups concentrating on different football skills, such as wide receivers, quarterbacks, defensive backs and running backs. Each group rotated to each skill station, receiving training and tips from volunteer coaches, as well as from Reid himself.
"You have to get a good education and work hard in school if you want to be able to play hard on the field," Reid told the children after one of the sessions. "I want to hear how well you are doing in your classes and that you all received good report cards this year."
After each session, players had the chance to ask Reid, 27, questions, and one outstanding player from each of the two camp sessions was honored with a sportsmanship award from Reid and his coaches.
Ryan Mandelbaum, 9, of Middletown, received an autographed football and a signed set of gloves from Reid for his outstanding performance during his two-hour session.
"It was exciting," Mandelbaum said. "I liked playing football and seeing Darrell Reid walk around helping us with our drills."
Mandelbaum, who is a New England Patriots fan and plays for the Middletown Eagles, said he would be watching for Reid on the Denver Broncos this year.
Devin Torres, 13, of Freehold Borough, won the sportsmanship award for the second session.
"This guy was the biggest guy out there today and he didn't complain once about being hot or needing water," Reid said of Torres. "He kept moving and kept working harder."
Torres, who also received an autographed football and a signed pair of gloves, said the camp and Reid's advice helped him prepare for his upcoming year of football in school.
"It was a lot of fun and it helped me because I am going to be playing freshman football this year," Torres said.
Every athlete was provided with a complimentary brown bag lunch and a Footz Foundation T-shirt and bag filled with a foundationwater bottle, wristband and coupons to Dick's Sporting Goods.
Grace DiMartino is the president of Reid's Footz Foundation and gave credence to why the cause is so near and dear to the former YMCA camp counselor and pro football player's heart.
"Darrell does this because he likes to support Freehold Borough and the surrounding communities because this is home to him," she said. "He works with the YMCA because the Y was there for Darrell as a child. The day has been absolutely wonderful and the weather was great. The support for this from the community has been outstanding and we hope to be back next year."
Reid said he, too, would like to repeat the success of the day for next year's Footz Foundation Skills and Drills Football Camp.
"This has been more than I imagined," Reid said after the final sessions. "It was great and the kids and I had fun. I think we will definitely be back next year."
Reid formed the Footz Foundation to help local youth find their inner potential and most of all, to encourage them to use it.
"I think kids feel like they want to associate themselves with something, to almost give them an identity," Reid said of why he formed the Footz Foundation. "I just want to help them associate themselves with something positive, rather than something negative."
Providing local youth with a positive role model has become a responsibility that Reid appreciates now, he said.
"We played in the Super Bowl a couple of years ago and that's a worldwide game," Reid said. "Whether you know it or not, you're a role model to kids all around the world. It's how you use that platform. I just want to use that platform in the right way and help kids by being a positive influence on them."
This article was provided by the YMCA of Western Monmouth County, Freehold Township.
