NFL cornerback David

Macklin's 27 Reason Football camp has become an annual summer event in the

Hampton Roads area that teaches football drills and life skills to over 100 camp

participants.

                                                 

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"I

love to see kids smile," the eight year veteran said. "I love for them to have

alternatives other than going to the corner or doing things that are negative. Our

organization wants to give kids a chance to see and talk to NFL football

players. We want them to know that every year they have something to look

forward to meeting different players."

Initially, Macklin's camp was a

local charity event held at Todd Stadium in Newport News. It has since grown

into an organization that holds charity events all over the country.

"We

have a 27-cities campaign to go out to different events whether it's charity

events with Boys and Girls clubs or Christmas events. We just want to help

disadvantaged kids by pouring love into their lives and hopefully they

can receive it. We've had events in Washington D.C, Indianapolis, and

Atlanta.

Sporting a Washington

Redskins cap, the former Menchville High School star signed a

contract this year to play for the team he grew up rooting for. "They were the

only team for me," he said about his love for the Redskins as a youngster. "I

got to watch a lot of great guys like Darrell Green, Ark Monk, and Dexter

Manley. Seeing those guys set the tone for me as an athlete, especially on the

football field. To be able to walk in those doors and to be able to say I'm a

Washington Redskin now is a blessing."

He enlisted the help of

several NFL players including Michael Doss of the

Minnesota Vikings, Anthony Adams from the Chicago Bears,

Darryl Blackstop of the Arizona Cardinals,

and Walt Harris of the San Francisco 49ers. It was the

third year for Doss, who said he wanted to give the kids a fresh face they are

not use to seeing.

"It's an opportunity to help a young kid who has never

seen an NFL player," Doss said. "Not just in my community, but in

every community. That's why I'm here."

                                  

The camp was divided into two sessions with the

younger kids taking the morning drills, and the older players practicing in the

afternoon session. Not only did the athletes learn football techniques, but

they also found out there's more to football than what happens on the

field.

"We had a Grade Point Average session," Macklin said.

"A lot of kids don't understand that you cant get on the field unless you get

your academics straight. I want to help them in the classroom and on the

field. If you don't listen, and you aren't coachable then you are not

going to be good to any coach whether it's on the high school, college or

professional level."

He added, "You have to be coachable, and be able to

work with others. Those are life skills. You have to be humble

enough to take what someone is saying to you, not as something to

hurt you, but to help you. These kids can really tell that we care about them,

and that they can make it in anything; not just football, but in

life."

For more information on David Macklin's 27 Reasons

Organization, please visit his website www.27reasons.org

or his MyFanPage