July 7, 2004

Ed Reed comes home for the kids

By Eric LeBlanc
Sports Editor
(Photos by ERIC LEBLANC)

Destrehan High School hosted a very special event last week where over 200 kids learned the fundamentals of football from Destrehan football coaches and several NFL players including Destrehan graduate and Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed.

This is the second year of the Ed Reed Destrehan Football Camp and attendance increased by over 70 kids this year.

From Tuesday through Friday of last week, those kids learned drills, played games and practiced with some of the NFL’s finest.

In attendance on Tuesday morning were Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and San Diego Chargers punter and Destrehan graduate Mike Scifres.

And on Friday, Reed invited five other NFL players to speak to the kids. In attendance were New York Jets wide receiver Santana Moss, former Miami Dolphins cornerback Delvin Brown, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Mike Rumph, Green Bay Packers tight end Bubba Franks and Baltimore Ravens cornerback Corey Fuller.

As the kids sat in the Destrehan gym Friday morning, they were given some words of wisdom from all six NFL players.

“You’ve got to have a goal in your life,” Reed expressed to the kids Friday. “There is nothing you can’t do if you put your mind to it.”

“What you learned this week will come back to you later on,” said Moss. “Always appreciate what you have. Not every kid has this opportunity.”

“I never had this opportunity as a kid,” said Rumph. “Remember what you’re taught and always use your mind.”

“To make it in this world you’ve got to have dreams,” said Franks.

“Surround yourself with great people and great things will come,” said Fuller. This was a sentiment that Reed echoed.

“Surround yourself with positive people. You have positive role models all around you in your coaches and your teachers. There’s always going to be someone saying something negative about you or to you. But you’ve got to keep going. You’ve got to look up.”

Overall the camp was a success for the second year in a row and Head Coach Stephen Robicheaux was very pleased at the turnout and that the kids all had a great time.

Eric LeBlanc can be reached at EricL@heraldguide.com or at (985) 758-2795, ext. 219.