More than 100 excited kids piled into the Hutson Center to get a taste of what a Green Bay Packers practice entails as they learned the skills and drills that their idols perform in preparation for gameday.
Amidst the glamour that often surrounds a child's favorite professional sports role model, young sports fans may sometimes forget that those athletes were once kids themselves, hoping for a chance to make it big.
Green Bay Packers players Graham Harrell, T.J. Lang, Nick McDonald and Andrew Quarless reminded such aspiring youth athletes that they once were in their same shoes while participating with them at the Packers' annual Oneida Nation football clinic Tuesday night inside the Don Hutson Center.
More than 100 excited kids piled into the Hutson Center to get a taste of what a Green Bay Packers practice entails as they learned the skills and drills that their idols perform in preparation for gameday.
As participants put forth the best of their abilities to show the pros their strong work ethics, they couldn't help but have fun with their 'coaches' for the night. The camaraderie and laughter shared between the players and kids demonstrated that Tuesday's practice session was not just a demanding workout, but rather a chance to have fun with their idols.
Packers guard T.J. Lang took pride in sharing his talents with the kids and wished he was given such an opportunity when he was their age.
"I didn't get a chance to go to clinics like this when I was as young as some of these kids," Lang said. "I went to clinics, but I think I started going when I was in high school. I wish I had gone to things like this at such a young age, it would have been a lot of fun."
Participants were divided into four different groups, based on age, and proceeded from one skills station to the next. As every boy and girl raced to their next station, the enthusiastic smiles beaming from their faces demonstrated just how much fun they were having.
Two participants, Shako Danforth and Dakota Jordan of Green Bay, were making their second appearance at the Packers' annual football clinic, and were ready to play some ball with the pros.
"This is my second time coming here," Danforth said. "I came last year and it was so much fun. I'm most excited to play with the Packers."
And while the kids may not have exactly enhanced their football skills, Lang was glad to see them enjoy the night.
"The important thing is that all the kids are having fun and get a chance to run around," Lang said. "I mean, I don't know how much football we actually taught them, but to see them be active, play with their friends and just have fun is all we could ask for."
Eleven-year-old Camille Billie of Green Bay, proved her skills and showed she could keep up with the big boys as she caught passes from Nick McDonald, threw the ball with Graham Harrell, broke through blocks from Lang, and took hand-offs from Andrew Quarless.
"I'm having a lot of fun tonight," Billie said. "It's fun playing with the Packers."
Even the players enjoyed the night, sharing the same excitement as shown by the kids.
"Tonight has been a lot of fun," Lang said. "It's especially fun interacting with all the different age groups here. It's great to see all the kids having a blast, and we're all having fun too."
