Thread: Survival camp: Pat Williams brings the knowledge

[size=18px]Survival camp
NFL's Pat Williams brings the knowledge[/size]

By Michael Kern
mkern@thenewsstar.com

Originally published July 15, 2006

Every child who attended Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams' football camp on Friday morning at Sterlington High got a free T-shirt with an appropriate slogan on the front.
"I survived Camp Pat II."

With temperatures soaring into the low 90s before the camp was done, weather conditions were less than ideal. But the heat didn't dampen the enthusiasm.

The free camp drew about 75 kids between the ages of 6 and 16 to run football drills and learn from a collection of area football coaches including Grambling State's Melvin Spears, and former NFL players Charles Smith and Don Zimmerman. Williams called them "old school" coaches that would show the kids the right way to do things.
"We're going to try to teach the kids some discipline," Williams said before the event began. "But we also want to have a lot of fun."

Williams held the camp for years in Buffalo when he was playing with the Bills. After signing with the Vikings as a free agent before last season, he decided to move the camp to his hometown.

This year's camp was the last part of a multi-day event in which Williams met with kids at the Anna Meyer branch of the Ouachita Parish Public Library and also held an event at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo.

Things will close today with a 7-on-7 football tournament starting at 9 a.m., also at Sterlington.

"After I became a free agent, I decided it was time to give back to the kids here (in Monroe)," Williams said.

Ouachita Junior High eighth-grader Markell Richmond came out to the camp ready to learn. The 14-year-old plays football for the Cubs and said he wanted to improve his speed.

"I'm into football at school," Richmond said. "I wanted to do something else besides weight lifting."

Shirley Fields brought her 11-year old grandson Devontae Carter to the camp then stuck around to watch. Fields works at the library where Williams held a milk and cookies event on Wednesday.

Carter, who is visiting his grandmother from Houston, met Williams at the library and asked if he could come to the camp.

Fields thought it was a great idea and couldn't have been more pleased with the event.

"It's really great when someone comes back and gives back to their community," Fields said. "I think it's important. A lot of times athletes say they are not role models for these kids, but they really are. And it's great for these kids to see (Williams) do something like this."

Survival camp

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"We're going to try to teach the kids some discipline," Williams said before the event began. "

And that is SO IMPORTANT! Maybe a few of the Bengals players should have attended. :roll:

Good job Phat Pat.. Way to give back to your community..

would that be fun or what, go to a free camp when you're young with one of the most fun vikings players to watch

go Phat Pat =)