As part of the NFL draft festivities, some of the league’s former players came back and take part in a Play 60 event as part of a program in which kids are encouraged to play 60 minutes a day.
The event took place at Chelsea Waterside Park in New York City. Pro Player Insiders was in attendance and got the chance to talk to some of the players there. The players that were in attendance include: Andre Reed (Buffalo Bills), Derrick Brooks (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), London Fletcher (Washington Redskins) Herman Moore (Detroit Lions) and Mark Brunell (Jacksonville Jaguars). Reed and Brooks were both recently nominated into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They, along with London Fletcher and Herman Moore all got the opportunity to announce their team’s second round selections at the NFL Draft later that day.
London Fletcher is known across the NFL as a great leader. When he speaks, everyone in the locker room listens. Fletcher retired from the NFL after this past season. He was a favorite among the Play 60 kids. They liked taking part in the bag drills with him. He also enjoyed playing quarterback during the flag football game.
Fletcher talked about what it meant to him to be able to take part in an event like Play 60 afterwards. “When I was a kid, I know how important it would have been to me to meet an NFL player. It would have meant the world to me. Just to be around them, engage them, have fun and let them see a different side of me outside the helmet. That’s why I enjoy doing these events. To be around kids and let them see a professional player. I know the role that athletics played in my life as far as being the person that I am today.”
Herman Moore took time out to show the kids how to run routes and catch the football. Moore was a part of the group of wide receivers that started recording video game like statistics. His 123 receptions (1995) place him in a tie with Wes Welker (2009) and ranks second only to Marvin Harrison’s 143 receptions in the 2002 season. Many of the kids didn’t realize that they were learning from one of the best ever but Moore enjoyed the event anyway.
“I enjoy it. I had an opportunity over the last few years to take part in Play 60. It’s great because it encourages the kids to just not stay home and not do anything. Physical activity has been taken out of the schools so getting them up and moving them about makes a difference in their lives. It gives them the energy but we also focus on the nutritional side as well. It’s too bad sports are being taken out of schools because when kids go out and play sports, it builds a lot of social skills that we don’t realize kids are lacking because of sports being taken out of their lives. Growing up and playing sports allowed me to communicate with people of various backgrounds. It’s important to let these kids know that you are an advocate of theirs. You have to reach them on a personal level. Find out what motivates them and feed that. Everyone is different. Sometimes we need that extra push.”
Andre Reed has done numerous Play 60 events. He ran around with the kids and even let them throw him touchdown passes. It’s not often that a kid gets to complete a pass to a Hall of Fame wide receiver. Reed understood the importance of interacting with the kids. “That’s what it’s all about. I think, if you go back to your youth and mine, he influence, I didn’t have this kind of thing when I was a kid. The emphasis on Play 60 is a great program that the NFL puts on for kids to get them to get out, play, be active. It’s important to do so every day. The positive vibe of this is inspiring because being among other kids and interacting is important. When you have fun, all other good kinds of things can happen.”
Derrick Brooks took part in a series of Play 60 commercials during the 2013 season. His commercial was selected as the number one fan favorite. He had a great time showing the kids how to take handoffs and working them out in ladder drills. Brooks truly enjoys working with the kids. “Anytime I get a chance to be a part of this, I get excited. We are encouraging kids to not only get outside and play 60 minutes every day. We want them to eat right. It’s important that these kids also learn to set goals and pray on their goals. At the end of the day, we just have to show them to do right and have a positive attitude.”
Mark Brunell was throwing deep passes to the kids and coaching them up on how to stay in bounds. The kids had a great time catching his passes. The rainy weather didn’t deter the kids from coming out to play. That impressed Brunell. “It’s not great weather today but it’s a great opportunity for kids. The NFL is doing a great job of encouraging these kids to get out and play 60 minutes a day. There’s so many options these days in video games, computers but to get outside to exercise and be fit is critical. They need to understand the importance of this. There weren’t a lot of extra organizations like this when I was little. I applaud the NFL for doing this. A lot of these young people want to go on and do great things in life so it’s good to come out and encourage them. This is a good thing.”
The kids that attended the Play 60 had a great time. The NFL is really working to encourage kids to eat balanced meals and to get outside to play for 60 minutes a day instead of being on the computer or Play Station for hours. The message is clear and the NFL legends took time out of their busy schedules to drive the point home.
