by Brian Turrel
The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Athletic League sponsored a football camp on Saturday for ages 8 to 18, with around 150 young athletes participating.
The camp, held at Bishop Ward’s Dorney Field, brought together local high school and youth coaches, former NFL players, and police volunteers for a day of building football skills and community relationships.
Before the camp started, former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Gehrig Dieter talked about his father, who was a police officer in South Bend, Indiana.
“My dad was always my coach,” said Dieter, “and I just know the impact he’s had on people, on my former teammates that still keep up with him, and he still keeps up with them. I think having that impact, that lasting relationship, is such a huge thing.”
Dieter, who retired from professional football earlier this month after five years with the Chiefs, looked like a future coach as he smoothly led drills with a group of about 15 middle school and high school receivers.
The young athletes started in a large group for stretching and warmups and then split into age and position groups to drill on specific skills.
With the camp’s theme of Tackling Conflict Together, campers also had the opportunity to hear about making good lifestyle choices and to commit to a future of nonviolence.
The camp was the first of what is planned to be an annual event. Police Chief Karl Oakman expressed his hopes for what the camp and other police – community events can accomplish.
“We do a lot of enforcement things,” said the chief. “We’re going to do those. We have to do those, but I think it’s important to make sure that we’re putting resources in our young people, not only just to reduce violence but to increase that positive relationship between the police and young people.”
