Florida Stingrays Host Free Youth Camp and We Were Invited to Share in the Moment

Yesterday morning the Florida Stingrays held a Free Youth Football Camp at their home field.  This is an event that they host each season and sometimes twice in a season.  We were invited out so we could film the camp for our documentary.  It was a amazing day from start to finish.

Since Daniel and I have started this journey, we have been amazed not only of the access we have been given by the team, but by the way the organization goes about their business   Every time there is an event that will help their community there are players that come out and are extremely excited to be there.  Yesterday the star of our poster, #11 Lonnie Smith and #32 Jarvis Battle came out with coaches Chris Morant, James Ingerham and Roy Stabler along with Stingrays owner Jay Lawrence to teach these young men ages 3-15 the basics of the game.  The kids even received a free lunch.

Daniel was there with his camera to record such a special event, not only for the film but to showcase how this local semi-pro football team loves to give back to their community. I was there to take pictures so we could save the memories of such a great day.

As we watched the players interact with the young boys, we saw another side of these giants.  On the field they are monster, beasts that are looking to take out their opponent and score the big hit or touchdown, but on this one day, these giants, became gentle men just looking to have the opportunity to share their knowledge of the game with these young men.  We learned very quickly the inside dreams of these players, where they have been and where they wish they would have ended up.  But at the end of the day as they shared a pizza with these boys, you could see the happiness in the players eyes as they now created new friendships that will last a lifetime.