FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. (KGUN) — It's not every day that a professional football player comes to Cochise County, but on Friday morning, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson taught more than 100 kids the fundamentals of the game.
Most importantly, he wanted them to have fun.
"Anytime they give me an opportunity to work with young kids, it's always a no-brainier for me,” Wilson said.
He spent the morning tossing passes, running routes, and taking on any challengers.
The free camp is for kids, ages 6 to 14, and was made possible because of Fort Huachuca’s Xchange and Commissary. The stores won the event from a competition held by Proctor and Gamble. Events, like the camp, are awarded to installations that sell a lot of their products. This is the second event the Xchange and Commissary have won this year.
Wilson says he was happy to host the camp.
“I really enjoy working with youth and young kids, because I think that just their energy and positivity is unmatched; and they just have so much potential and (are) full of life,” he said.
The wide receiver played 13 games for the cardinals last season, in his first year in the NFL.
"When I was a kid, I would have killed to have this opportunity and play with someone that i eventually want to do what they're doing, or, you know, become their peer one day,” Wilson said.
He and the kids will be back on the field Saturday morning for the last day of the 2-day camp.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
