Just a year ago, Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly was exhausted and weaken from his battle with cancer of the jaw; taking naps in a trailer during his annual Jim Kelly Football camp in Buffalo, NY.
What a difference a year can make.
Kelly was back in full-strength, between the hashes firing passes to campers at the Bills ADPRO Field House in Orchard Park, NY this week, hosting his 28th annual youth camp that ran from June 28 to July 2.
Even with being weak and fragile from his fight with cancer last year, Kelly still made it to the event at Sweet Home High School and did whatever his body could possibly allow.
“The bottom line is you don’t want to let the kids down,” Kelly said. “I was going to be here no matter what. I feel so much better. Last year, I was doing it because I wanted to do it, but really couldn’t do it. This year, I want to do it and I can do it.”
The camp, with an estimated 600 participates this year, not only stresses the fundamentals of football, but allows campers to be educated on a variety of valuable topics including health and nutrition, drug awareness, sportsmanship and teamwork.
“In today’s society, and even in sports now, it’s all about character,” Kelly said. “Of course, you have to have the athletic ability. But when you’ve got the character to back it up, that’s what it’s about. And we try to tell all of these kids that you’ve got to grow up a lot quicker now. It’s not like back when you could get away with things when you were 16, 17 years old. Nowadays, you can’t get away with things when you’re 12 or 13. Yeah, I feel sorry for them, but, hey, that’s part of life.
“The key is, you want the kids to have fun. And I stress to them, ‘I want you to come here and get something out of the camp. I want you to enjoy yourself, number one. Number two is, when you leave here, I want you to make sure you leave with something, whether it’s on the field or in the chalk talk.’”
The camp which has grown from 325 campers in 1988 to almost 600 this year is another way for the former Bills star to give back to the local community he calls home.
The former NFL star’s body seemed to hold up well during the entire camp, as he was able to jump right back into drills with the kids and leading them through classroom sessions.
“My arm is really sore today, but I feel good,” Kelly said. “I finally gained some weight, I’m feeling better, and thank the good Lord, I’m still here.”
So how long will the camps remain a stable of Buffalo summers?
“I want to continue to do this forever,” Kelly said. “As long as I can continue going out there and being a part of it, I will do it.”
For more information on the camp or to register for the annual Jim Kelly Football Clinic held in Rochester, NY at St. John Fisher College on July 14th, please visit www.jimkellyfootballcamp.com.
