Hundreds of kids took to the Sharon High School football field Saturday for a very special event.
NFL star Marlin Jackson, of the Indianapolis Colts, was back in his hometown of Sharon to teach some young players a lesson or two. Jackson is back at his Alma Mater at Sharon High School for a very special reason. "When Marlin got drafted by the Colts, he realized he wanted to give to his community and he established his "Fight for Life" foundation," said former Sharon High School football coach, Jim Wildman.
The foundation includes the totally free two day football camp. It's open to kids in 3rd through 8th grade. The nearly 300 participants this year will learn many skills including how to block, tackle and catch, all under the tutelage of an NFL star, but Marlin says there are other more important skills that kids can learn on the grid iron. "We try to reach these kids, try to teach them skills so they wont be followers, so they will be able to be independent, be accountable, be reliable, and be good people; make positive decisions and not negative choices."
Parents standing on the sidelines watching their children say they are excited by the football camp. Paul Muhammad of Farrell, says he knows the football camp is about more than just football. "It gives them a chance to understand what other people are doing and some of the things they're trying to strive for to get himself better as far as life skills go."
This is Jackson's second year hosting the clinic. He plans to be back next summer and for many more years to come.
