NFL running back Adrian Peterson hosts football camp in Houston
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- NFL running back Adrian Peterson hosted his All Day Elite Camp at St. Thomas High School for kids in the Houston area Saturday. First through 8th graders participated in the camp, while high school athletes are set to participate Sunday.
This is an opportunity for campers to learn the fundamentals of football, expose themselves to coaches and meet the 2012 NFL MVP.
A plethora of scouts are present at the camp with rankings posted at the conclusion. Brothers Produce and Bodyarmor were also at the camp looking to teach campers the importance of hydration and having a healthy diet. A variety of fruits and drinks were provided for the campers throughout their workout.
Throughout the day, campers went through various drills that focus on the football fundamentals, such as lateral movement, hand-offs and proper tackling.
Multiple stations were set up and the campers rotated every few minutes and learned from a different coach at each station.
Peterson said his favorite drills focused on lateral movement due to the importance of not only having good footwork in football, but sports in general.
After going to a camp in Tyler, Texas as a kid and witnessing someone from the area play in the NFL, Peterson said it motivated him to work hard and reach his lifelong dream. He said he loves the opportunity to work with campers and teach them lessons that will last a lifetime.
"Through adversity, you can always land on your feet, you always keep your faith and you continue to press forward," Peterson said.
Mike West is a friend of Peterson's and one of the camp's organizers. He talked about the importance of teaching the campers good fundamentals at a young age and gave them a platform to turn into the best players possible.
West also said character development is an important part of the camp and that the lessons in camp go beyond what is taught on the field.
West is a former player at Hampton University and said he missed opportunities along the road, which motivates him to give back to the campers.
"I'm making sure I reach back now to make sure that these kids have a better opportunity than I did and they don't miss these opportunities," he said.
