Devin Hester gives kids a thrill at football camp

Everyone wanted a piece of Devin Hester, and there were no signs of Packers, Lions, or Vikings in the vicinity.
The 200-plus boys and girls bouncing around the Niles West High School football field Saturday afternoon barked and hollered, danced and snickered – did just about anything to attract the Bears superstar’s attention during Hester's Old Spice Football Camp, presented by Fifth Third Bank.

Hester soaked it all in wearing an infectious smile, realizing he was like these overanxious kids back in his day.

``My first camp, I remember having Tony Dorsett,’’ Hester recalled. ``It was down in Florida, really exciting, and very crowded. So I know how it feels for these kids to see a football player. Whatever the football player says, you want to listen to him and just kind of hang around and talk to him.’’

Hester had his share of followers Saturday, some of them adults that tiptoed close enough to the Bears receiver to take a picture. But this was about the kids – 210 of them, to be exact.

``It got bigger this year,’’ Hester noted. ``Whenever you start off something like a camp, it’s always a slow, gradual process. Hopefully by the fifth, sixth year, it will be really packed.’’

Hester spent most the day playing quarterback, although he took time to teach some of the techniques of the receiver position.  But Hester’s instruction was by no means limited to offense.

``I learned how to do a two-point defensive stance and I learned about how to charge the opponent,’’ said Ramon Bell, an 11-year-old camper from Chicago’s south side and a Pirie Elementary student. ``And of course, I learned how to run a route . … Meeting Devin Hester, it was just fun.’’

For Hester, mission accomplished.

He closed the day emphasizing the importance of having fun in every aspect of life. Check out Hester’s speech below, along with a couple other video clips from the camp (above), which concludes Sunday.









(chicagosports.com)