 Senior safeties Chad Springer and Lonnie Heck encourage a youngster to put his |
The kids arrived in time to watch the Little Giants complete their Friday afternoon practice in preparation for Saturday's home game against Ohio Wesleyan. As soon as practice had ended, the music roared over the stadium's PA system and kids were dispatched into small groups to work on drills.
The kids came from as far away as Avon and Shelbyville and from as close as a block from the stadium. In addition to learning some football basics, the kids had a chance to meet all of the Little Giants, 5-0 on the season and ranked 15th in Dvision III. Some kids wore Wabash players' jerseys and helmets, and all had a good time pretending—if only for an afternoon—to be college football players.
"I can't imagine that if you're a kid in this community and came to our Youth Football Clinic that you wouldn't have a great time," said head football coach Chris Creighton.
Wabash alumnus Doug Brown ’87 brought his son last year all the way from Shelbyville. "We had such a great time we came back this year with two of his friends," said Brown.
All-American tight end Ryan Short taught kids how to catch short and long passes, how to juke defenders, and even how to celebrate a touchdown catch.
All-Conference linebacker Nathan Boulais was busy teaching kids how to avoid blockers to get to a tackle. "First thing you have to do," said Boulais, "is put your mean face on. Let me see all of your mean faces."
The clinic ended with every kid being introduced, then running through a tunnel of more than 100 Little Giant players and coaches to make a "game-winning tackle" for the cameras.
"We just want this to get bigger and bigger," said Creighton. "Our players love interacting with the kids of this community, and I just think it would be a great thrill for the kids to have the opportunity to put on a college football player's uniform, learn some football drills, and just have a great time."
The event was organized by long-time Little Giant assistant coach Steve House.