GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On Saturday, several former Muskegon football players, led by Kalil Pimpleton and Jacorey Sullivan, returned to Hackley Stadium to teach instead of play.
“Just for the love of our city,” said Sullivan.
Former Ferris State defensive back DeShaun Thrower and current Bulldog receiver CJ Jefferson were also among the camp counselors. They gathered to help put on the 3rd annual Elite Skillz Football Camp for kids ages 6 through 17.
"We do this strictly just for our city and to give back into the youth," said Sullivan. "Each year, we learn new things as we continue in our careers, as well. So we feel that it's important that everything we learn, we want to give back to them every time and just to see (the camp) grow."
Pimpleton played at CMU with Sullivan, and since college he's appeared on HBO's "Hard Knocks", and become a member of the New York Giants practice squad. He says he feels a responsibility to share the lessons he's learned with the next generation.
"It's very important. It's all about just giving back to the community, and giving the kids a safe place to come play, have fun and open up a conversation. They can ask us any questions that they feel is necessary to ask, but at the end of the day coming out and having fun, that's what it's all about."
New to the camp this year was was an "off the field" portion on Friday, featuring a motivational message from former Muskegon running back Jared Pittman. The goal was to give the campers pointers to help them navigate situations in school and in their community.
"That was very important for us to add," said Pimpleton. "Especially coming from where we come from, you know, guys a lot of times feel trapped in this place, and we want to be the light that lets them know that it's possible. There's a lot of negativity that they may come across in their upbringing or on a day to day basis, whether it's at home, in the streets, at school. We want to let them know tha facing that adversity is very common, it happens to everybody. But it's possible to make it through and make it out of that, and to make something positive out of all that negativity."