NFL players put on camp for 400 kids

Click on the photo to the right to see a slide show from Saturday's inaugural Kalil-Baker Football Camp at Servite.

ANAHEIM - More than 400 kids didn’t have anything better to do on a Saturday morning.
Forget Disneyland. The heck with the beach.

This particular swarm of kids, aged 7 to 14, turned up at Servite High, where they spent hours running, catching, blocking, sweating (a lot) and learning more about the fundamentals of football.

And they were having fun doing it.

Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil and Atlanta Falcons lineman Sam Baker came up with the idea. Dubbed the Kalil-Baker Football Camp, the former USC players felt it would be a good way to give something back to the Orange County community.

Kalil played football at Servite, and Baker at Tustin.

“It’s something we always talked about doing when we played at USC together,” Kalil said. “I love kids.”

Kids are what Kalil, Baker and a small army of football coaches and assistants got on Saturday morning. Servite's coaches were there in force, with Rick Garretson overseeing the offense, and Ed Drzanek the defense.

Some campers came from as far away as Palm Springs (it’s cooler here). Some were preparing for their first season in tackle football, while others hadn’t reached that point yet.

Some looked like future high school and college stars, while others showed how hard they were willing to work to attain that.

“I hope he has fun,” said Sylvia Adams, who brought her son, Nolan, from Riverside. “I hope he learns some good techniques and skills that will keep him confident in himself and make him a better player.”

Carolina Panthers running backs Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams worked with some of the young players, teaching them about catching and carrying the ball and about making those all-important cuts up the field.

“It’s all about developing a consciousness of being a running back,” said Stewart. “It’s more about reacting to what’s in front of you.

“I saw a couple of guys that are gifted and already have attributes with being a running back.”

One such camper was Adam Miles, 12, of Palm Springs. Miles and Jr. All-American teammate William Olvera spent two hours of practice in the 117-degree desert heat on Friday so Saturday’s camp was more of a relief.

“I used to speed through everything,” Miles said. “I learned that when I get that ball, slow down and wait for stuff to develop.”

Contact the writer: abalderas@ocregister