Kids meet NFL heroes in Old Brookville

Posted

Any football lover will tell you that it’s more than just a sport. It’s about camaraderie, support, teamwork, and the true love of the game.

To help kids have some summer fun, the Village of Old Brookville hosted an NFL Alumni Hero Youth Football Camp for children ages six to 14. During the camp, the kids learn correct skills from USA football certified coaches and NCAA Division I and II athletes, which translate into their everyday lives. They even get advice from former NFL players — a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Harry Brame Jr., an NCAA scout with over a decade of professional coaching experience, is the director of the New York NFL Youth Football Camps. “Working with kids is what I do,” said Brame, who has been with the organization for five years. “Teaching them and trying to help mold and guide them is something that I enjoy doing. The main thing is to be positive, to learn to work well with others and to be team players and to be able to build relationships beyond the kids in their community, beyond their school.”

On the warm summer morning of July 19, the campers got a special visit from former NFL Giants running back Billy Taylor.

Taylor focuses on five main points when he visits the NFL camps — the importance of school, having a positive attitude, exercising, eating right, and good manners. “I’m about education, and sometimes kids think when they look at athletes, they think they get to a certain point because they are great athletes, and that may be true, but football players have to be intelligent,” Taylor explained. “So many kids get the information from social media and different places, and the more they can get the information from someone who does it, and is an example, the more that they realize that the key to life is to be a good person.”

After their morning pep-talk from Taylor, the campers stretched, warmed up, and learned different drills and techniques. The day culminated with a game of touch football, where the campers were able to implement the newly acquired skills.

Collegiate athletes, who shared their knowledge with the campers, assisted Brame. “It’s fun working with the kids and I like teaching them how to play the game of football, and I like seeing them have fun,” said Cam Hayes, Merrimack College’s quarterback. “It’s important for them to learn at this age because they have a whole bunch of other coaches telling them what to do, so it’s better to tell them how to play the game the right way.”

Kyle Schombs, 10, has been attending the NFL camp for three years. “It helps with my skills in football, and it helps not getting hurt and meeting people,” he said. “It’s just fun.”

“I want them to learn the game of football,” added Brame. “But it’s bigger than that.”

For more information on NFL Camps, visit https://www.prosportsexperience.com/.