Marines Partner With Youth Football Camp
(April 8, 2011) |
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| MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (MCN - 4/5/2011) — Some of
the finest young football players in the Jacksonville, Fla.,
area teamed up with a few of America's finest warriors as
the Marines took over the Junior Rank Diamond Flight
football camp Mar. 25-27. |
The Marine Corps Recruiting Command has teamed up
with Junior Rank to share its core values of honor,
courage and commitment in an environment promoting
academic and athletic excellence.
Junior Rank was founded in 2008 by Shaon Berry,
a youth football coach and former University of
Pittsburgh running back. The goal of the program is
to develop the next generation of student athletes
through education, evaluation and instruction.
Football players from middle school age all the way
up to high school seniors can attend the camps.
“I think the Junior Rank program is awesome,”
said Sylvester Pinckney, father of 5th grade camp
participant Jarrell Pinckney. “[Shaon Berry] has put
together a great team. It's a great group of people
there and they have great partners like the
Marines.”
The Marines were at the camp to
physically train the players and to teach them
leadership and discipline.
“We were there to
assist in physical training, developing the player's
character and to teach them the life skills a person
needs to be a quality citizen,” said Capt. Martin
Galvancastillo, project officer for Junior Rank,
MCRC. “The Marines served as mentors for [the
football players].”
As part of the Marine
Corps' partnership with Junior Rank, a new component
to |
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Staff Sgt. Christopher H. Miller, an instructor at the Drill Instructor School, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., speaks to players attending the Junior Rank Diamond Flight football camp Mar. 25,
2011. High school juniors and seniors in attendance participated in leadership and character development training with Miller as part of the new Proving Ground component of the camp. Official Marine Corps photo
Shaon Berry, former University of Pittsburgh running back and founder of Junior Rank, stands alongside Marines who participated in the Junior Rank Diamond Flight football camp Mar. 25,
2011. The Marines have partnered with Junior Rank to share the Marine Corps core values of honor, courage and commitment with some of the country's finest young football talents. |
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the camp called “Proving Ground” was established. In
Proving Ground, high school juniors and seniors
participating in the camp had the opportunity to do
football drills along with leadership and character
development training with a Marine Corps drill
instructor. |
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According to Capt. Brad A. Goldvarg, recruitment advertising
officer and officer-in-charge for the event, 6th Marine
Corps District, parents liked seeing the Marines instill
their brand of discipline on the players.
“Most
parents were enthusiastic about their kids being taught
discipline and instant obedience to orders,” said Goldvarg.
During football drills, the Marines motivated
players and reinforced what their coaches told them.
“The Marines set the tone of the camp,” said Pinckney.
“Football is similar to the military because players must
have the discipline to do what the coach is telling them
just like a Marine must have it when his commanding officer
orders him to do something. The dedication [the Marines]
brought from their training really showed.”
The
players enjoyed the presence of the Marines as well.
“The players like having the Marines there because they
helped push them to their limits,” said Sgt. Charles
McKelvey, marketing and public affairs representative,
Recruiting Station Atlanta. “The players saw how hard the
Marines pushed themselves and liked that.”
According
to Pinckney, the camp left a great impression on his young
wide receiver.
“[Jarrell] truly loved it,” said
Pinckney. “He's still talking about what a great time he
had.”
In addition to the physical training, the
Marines also hosted a leadership seminar designed to engage
the young players in character development activities and to
teach them skills to help them lead both on and off the
football field.
“The goal was to teach them that
anyone can lead,” said Goldvarg. “It doesn't matter if
you're the oldest, the strongest or have the most money.”
“The Marines taught the kids about discipline and having
good character,” said Pinckney. “You must have both whether
you are in the military or on a football team. The kids have
to be mentally tough. Not everyone can be a professional
football player and the Marines taught the kids that they
still have the opportunity to do great things by serving in
the military.”
Looking ahead, the Marine Corps will
team up with
Junior
Rank for many more camps across the country during 2011. |
By USMC LCpl. David Flynn
Marine Corps Recruiting Command
Copyright 2011 | |
Reprinted from
Marine Corps News
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