NFL Star Reggie Ragland Brings Back To His Home With Annual Football Camp
MADISON- Current NFL star with the Kansas City Chiefs Reggie Ragland held his second annual Football Camp at Bob Jones High with 263 young athletes learning skills, comradery and work ethic during the day-long event.
“If they take away one thing from this camp experience it would be knowing hard work and you have to sweat a little bit to get what you want in life,” said Ragland.
The former Bob Jones All-Star and University of Alabama All-American returned to his home turf with the help of numerous friends and volunteers to make the camp, open to both boys and girls, a huge success. Ragland is currently a starting linebacker for the Chiefs and will enter his fourth season in the NFL this fall. Matter of fact, opening training camp opens July 24 for the upcoming 2019 season.
“My parents never had to push me as everything I’ve done is something I’ve always wanted to do as my self-determination pushes me,” said Ragland. “My biggest fear is not being successful that’s why I push myself daily to be successful at something, be it reading or making new relationships.”
The camp was open to young athletes ages eight to 18. Many of whom are struggling to become elite athletes while others are well on their way to possibly becoming a professional athlete similar to Ragland.
Blair Howard, 14, an Athens High football player, chose to attend the large gathering so he could improve his skills for his shot at success playing high school football. “The one major thing I learned here today was to break down in athletic position and go through the drills without looking at my feet by keeping my head up,” said Howard. “The camp was very good and I’m coming back next year, too, to continue to get better.”
The numerous volunteer coaches put each of the camp attendees through an array of feet, eye-hand coordination and speed drills, all of which is what encompasses what is necessary to become successful in athletics. Ragland himself learned those facts as a youngster growing up in Huntsville before moving to Madison as a freshman at Bob Jones.
Ten-year old Carter Mays made the trek across Madison County from New Market to attend the camp. He’s just started playing football, but already carries himself on the football field like a confident champion.
“This was really a good experience and will go a long way to make me a better football player and I met some new people, too,” said Mays. “I attended in a way to meet Reggie and the other professional players who were here today.”
Ragland called on several of his good friends who just happened to be associated with the NFL. Those assisting Ragland included current NFL players Brandon Greene (Carolina Panthers), Jihad Ward (Indianapolis Colts), D.J. Reader (Houston Texans) and Marcell Dareus (Jacksonville Jaguars) and former two-year player Kolby Listenbee.
The combination of the professional camp assistants and numerous other volunteers made for a day that Ragland himself never experienced as a youth. He never attended a camp of this caliber, which has caused the now 25-year old to make the experience as exciting and educational as possible for everyone involved.
“Just like in football, in life not everything is given to you and you need to learn how to push yourself and work through to success,” added Ragland. “In any job someone else is trying to do the same thing you’re doing, so to get yourself apart from others you must work hard and I hope that’s what every player learned out here today. I had to push myself growing up as I have five brothers and a sister, so I had to do it.”
Playing in the NFL is living a dream for Ragland and he knows every one of the young athletes who attended the camp have dreams of their own and he wants to assist those dreams become reality.
Each of the camp attendees were provided lunch, a camp T-shirt of Ragland’s No. 59 and the chance for autographs, but, more importantly, time in a work-hard atmosphere where dreams come true.
“I plan on being back every year as I, too, have a dream,” said Howard.
