Abbeville native Anthony Levine host football camp

Two-time NFL Super Bowl champion, and Abbeville native Anthony Levine, currently a defensive back for the Baltimore Ravens, brought a couple of his NFL friends to Wildcat Stadium to host a free football camp for the kids of Abbeville.
The camp got under way on Friday morning, and along with Levine, New York Giants cornerback Dominique Rogers-Cromartie and cornerback of the Baltimore Ravens Lardarius Webb, there were roughly 60 kids that showed up for the camp.
The kids were treated to football drills that included the basics of lining up on the line of scrimmage, proper cornerback drills, some proper ways to run routes as a wide receiver and speed and agility work.
“I am very excited I got the chance to come out here,” Levine said. “I’m glad that I was able to come back and do this, and that I’m in a position to help out my home town.
“To take a day out of my schedule, and work with the kids. Also, to give them some words of encouragement, I’m going to do what I can to be there for that. So it isn’t anything to take out a day to come home and help out some good kids.”
Not only was Levine excited to be here but Webb seemed happy to give up some of his free time for a great cause.
“It is great,” Webb, “Anthony is one of my best friends, and anytime he needs me to come out and support him, I’m there.
“It is time well spent. What is it to give some time? I would have been at home doing nothing, and these kids need a role model. You never know who’s life I might change by coming out here and teaching them a few things about the game of football. I love to take advantage of all the opportunities I get to give back”
To go along with that Rogers Cromartie was also excited to be there for the kids, and give back.
“I enjoy every chance I get,” Rogers-Cromartie said. “Every time I can come out here and support Anthony, and help some kids out in the process, I’m going to do that.”
One of the most important things Levine tried to convey to the kids was over coming adversity.
“The main thing I try to teach the kids, outside the game of football, is adversity,” Levine said. “I try to tell them that everyone goes through some kind of adversity. Whether it’s on the field or off the field, everyone faces adversity, and it is how you respond to that adversity that is the important thing.
“You have to be able to overcome adversity. I’m here to show them that just because you are from a small town like Abbeville you are able to achieve all of your dreams as long as you work for them.”
It seems that the main reason these three NFL players were here and the coaches they brought with them, were here for the betterment of the kids.
All three of the players mentioned about being here for the kids, and wanting to do everything they can to help these kids grow and become successful adults.
Even if it is just because they threw a football with them, and took the time to travel down to Abbeville to take one day to show them some football techniques.
“It is a great feeling to see the smile on their faces,” Webb said. “They see us on TV and they think we are supernatural, and its good for them to see that we are regular people that had dreams and did everything we could to achieve those dreams.”
Levine said he had a blast doing this, and loves the fact that he can give back to the kids of Abbeville.
It makes it even better that all three of the NFL players seemed very happy about being here despite their busy schedules.
It is impressive to see these men give up time from their own schedule to travel all the way from Baltimore and New York, especially since they are all three in the middle of getting ready for their own season and give back to the kids.