University of Tennessee Athletics
Football Vols Make Annual Community Service Visit to Nashville
July 17, 2003 | Football
July 17, 2003
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| Tennessee's Parys Haralson (left) and Karlton Neal show campers in Nashville some football fundamentals. |
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| NASHVILLE-- Before practices officially begin for the University of Tennessee football players, 30 Vols traveled to Nashville for the fifth consecutive year to participate in community service work with area children. The annual trip served to show first-year players the importance of being involved in activities off the field as well as making the days of some Nashville children. The trip took place July 11-12. Along with all first-year players, veteran players Rashad Baker, Kevin Burnett, Cody Douglass, Parys Haralson, Justin Harrell, Cedric Houston, Karlton Neal, Antwan Stewart and James Wilhoit also made the trip to Nashville. Accompanying the team was UT strength and conditioning coach Johnny Long and Director of Community Relations Gerald Harrison. Upon arriving in Nashville, the team was greeted by Mike Keith, Director of Broadcasting for the Tennessee Titans, who spoke to the team about the importance of participating in community activities. "I am not going to lie to you, the first thing that NFL scouts will look at is what you do on the field, "Keith said. "But, what you are doing right now with these kids is what is really important. Doing things for others off the field shows that you are concerned with other people besides yourself and that shows your character. If any of you want to play in the NFL someday know that your character has a lot to do with where you will end up." The players then went outside of D1, a sports training facility in Nashville hosted by former Vol Will Bartholomew, and played a game of flag football with children who came with the 100 Black Men and Family Foundation, a group started for children without a father figure in their lives. After finishing the game a few of the veteran players stood up and spoke to the boys about the importance of integrity, honesty, and character in a man's life. Those who spoke to the children were Rashad Baker, Kevin Burnett, Steven Jones, Karlton Neal, and James Wilhoit. Each player shared with the children a little about their life experience and what they have learned by being a college athlete. " It is so important to respect the people around you, whether it is teammates, coaches, classmates, teachers, or your parents," Baker told the youngters. "That is something I know to be true and will be true throughout your lives." On Saturday, July 12 the players hosted a football camp for children of the Thompson-Lane Boys & Girls Club. At this camp, players showed children the fundamentals of football through a series of stations divided up by the players' positions. Vol players gave instruction on the basic skills of their respective positions. After children had cycled through the stations, players played another game of flag football with the children. At the end the children were in the players' jerseys enjoying playing with these college athletes, an opportunity that many of these boys would not have without this camp. Neal cooked the entire camp lunch, grilling hundreds of hot dogs and hamburgers. After lunch and playing some basketball and swimming with the children, the tired group of players boarded the bus and headed for Knoxville knowing exactly what it means to give back to the community. Players will participate in two more camps with Knoxville children before the end of the summer. A camp will be held on Sunday, July 20, for ACT, Amputees Coming Together, from 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. at Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex. On July 23, players will host a football camp for Knoxville Boys & Girls Clubs from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., also at the Neyland-Thompson Sports Complex. |
