NFL players Eric Murray and Dare Ogunbowale were once Milwaukee kids chasing football dreams. This past weekend they were back home to help other young athletes from the North Side chase theirs.
The players hosted their second annual football camp for hundreds of young athletes during their off season on June 13.
Murray and Ogunbowale launched The Mil Football Camp, to offer a free one-day summer clinic of football fundamentals and mentorship for middle and high school kids of all skill levels.
This year, the clinic was supported by the Eric Murray Foundation in partnership with Milwaukee Recreation and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee
“We’ll push them a little more than they’re probably used to and give them a professional perspective on what it takes to train for an opportunity,” Murray said.
Former NFL player and Athletes Charitable Vice President of Development Hannibal Navies also helped lead the clinic.
Athletes Charitable is a national organization that supports athletes in philanthropic efforts.
According to Ogunbowale, approximately 300 youths participated in this year’s camp, held at Harold S. Vincent School of Agricultural Science, 7501 N. Granville Road.
Murray said this is the first initiative under the Eric Murray Foundation.
Representation matters
Ogunbowale, a running back for the Houston Texans, and Murray, a safety for the Jacksonville Jaguars, agreed that becoming a professional athlete is rare, but when young athletes see it being done by others from their hometown, it shows that those goals are achievable.
“For us to be able to do this and give the kids a visual of what hard work is means a lot to us,” said Ogunbowale, who graduated from Marquette University High School.
Both players said opportunities like the camp were limited for them as children, though they were able to participate in the Gilbert Brown All-Pro Football Camp as youths. Brown, a retired former Green Bay Packers nose tackle, still hosts the free youth camp, which teaches fundamentals and life skills.
“At that age you could have told us Gilbert Brown was an Avenger and we would have believed you,” Ogunbowale said. “It was so out of our vision to actually meet someone that was a professional athlete, especially being in Milwaukee.”
Murray, a Riverside University High School alum, said getting involved in accessible youth programs can be difficult, and that another challenge young people face is social media.
“Young people are seeing other people do other things and always compare themselves to something they see online,” Murray said. “You have to run your own race and only control what you’re doing.”
More than a camp
Beyond learning about tackling, blocking and offensive and defensive techniques, Murray and Ogunbowale want young athletes to understand the importance of discipline, perseverance and other life skills.
Nakwan Bowers, 13, a linebacker for the Milwaukee Steelers youth football team, said he was excited to attend the camp with his teammates because he wanted to get feedback from the NFL players, an opportunity he never had before.
“I wanted to learn new stuff so I can stop doing the same moves all the time and learn from people who have experience,” Bowers said.
Bowers said he has hopes of becoming an NFL player one day and encourages his peers to follow their dreams.
“I hope everyone keeps working hard and aims for success,” he said.
Ogunbowale said they want the football camp to be a place for families to seek resources and support beyond football.
The Milwaukee Police Department and Milwaukee Fire Department were present to engage with children who weren’t on the field.
“We want this to be a staple in Milwaukee’s community and culture,” he said.
Murray said giving back is about sharing knowledge, personal experiences, life lessons and resources.
“I feel like the more resources and organizations we can get behind this, it can offer more complex programming for the community,” he said.
Kaleeya Dauden, a North Side resident and mother of camp participant Caiden Hill, 11, said she appreciates the NFL players hosting the camp because a lot of children are in need of these types of activities.
“I signed Caiden up for football in hopes of him liking it and he can stick with it for his growth and development,” Dauden said.
Wisdom for the younger generation
A piece of advice Ogunbowale offers to the younger generation is to be an active listener and become open to learning and failing.
“You don’t know it all,” he said.
He said listening was an easy skill for him to learn. As a football player he switched between multiple positions like defensive back and running back, which required him to adjust quickly.
“I had no choice but to listen, but I really feel like sometimes young people don’t want to listen to people who’ve done it already,” he said.
For Murray, he encourages the young generation to stay focused, create a process and remain consistent.
“Young people think things happen by chance, but you have to be intentional about what you’re trying to do and where you’re trying to go,” Murray said. “That’s the biggest thing they’ll need to understand.”
Both players said they are excited about the opportunities that the community can receive through the football camp in the years to come.
“We want to keep this football camp going and build something sustainable throughout the next few years,” Murray said.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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