Denver Native (Carol)
06-19-2009, 09:15 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9112
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For the past few months, the Broncos have been going to class -- offseason conditioning, practices, meetings, the whole works.
On Friday, it was time for recess.
A group of 12 rookies -- Robert Ayers, Chris Baker, David Bruton, Stanley Bryant, Britton Colquitt, Rulon Davis, David Grimes, D.J. Johnson, Seth Olsen, Everette Pedescleaux, Blake Schlueter and Lucas Taylor -- along with Ring-of-Famer Billy Thompson headed to the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club to hang out with the kids during a summer kick-off picnic.
When the players arrived, the children had just finished eating, so they were ready to play. As the rookies began filing off the shuttle bus, they were greeted immediately with hugs and high-fives.
"I love it," Baker said of the reaction. "It reminds me of myself when I was little."
With smiles on their faces, the players and kids talked about football, compared muscles, told jokes and took pictures. Johnson even challenged some of the boys to a race.
Bruton said the afternoon was a lot of fun, and by the end of it all he felt a little like he'd been on the practice field.
"We do lots of running around on the field with coaches, but it's nothing like being out here and running around with the kids," he said with a laugh.
There were plenty of activities, from basketball to pool to ping-pong to a touchdown dance contest judged by the players. The contest consisted of boys and girls starting out holding a football, then music started pumping through the speakers. Plenty spiked the ball and started dancing, some used it as a prop and others danced with it like a partner.
Baker, Taylor and Davis were three of the judges, but plenty of other players watched from the crowd that gathered. Baker said the contest was one of his favorite parts of the afternoon.
"I love to dance -- dancing is my thing," said the 326-pound lineman, who has been known to break out a dance move or two on the sideline at practice. "They taught me how to do a local dance called the 'jerk,' so it was fun. It was just a great experience to see a smile on all the kids' faces."
Around Dove Valley, the rookies are certainly aware of the fact that they're just that -- rookies. So Colquitt said it was a great feeling to get to the Boys & Girls Club and get a reminder that they're part of an NFL team and kids already look up to them.
"Everybody asked if I was a quarterback. I'm like, 'Sorry to disappoint, I'm just a punter," Colquitt laughed. "But it's just really cool to play with them, just getting to see the kids and just trying to get to know them personally. They are all Denver fans, so it's really cool that they treat you like you're Champ Bailey or somebody big like that."
Grimes certainly played the part of a celebrity. He was the focal point of many pictures -- girls ran up to him throughout the day and asked him to pose with them. "I guess it's because of my size or something," joked the 5-foot-11 receiver.
He said he was happy to take every picture, because he knows how much it means to just take the time to interact with the kids.
"I can think back to when I was young and I looked up to certain people, and the opportunity to have those guys around and just to be around the kids is just good, giving back to the community," he said.
At the end of the afternoon, the players filed back onto the shuttle bus and got ready to leave. But the conversations about all the fun they had continued throughout the drive. Taylor said he's sure he'll be back, and Ayers agreed.
"It's something I did when I was at school at Tennessee, worked through the Boys and Girls Club in Knoxville for two years, and I plan on doing the same here," Ayers said.
Colquitt enjoyed the experience as well, and said he won't hesitate to be part of any future activities at the teen center.
"It's just an honor to get to do this," he said.
For a photo gallery from the trip, click here. (on link)
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For the past few months, the Broncos have been going to class -- offseason conditioning, practices, meetings, the whole works.
On Friday, it was time for recess.
A group of 12 rookies -- Robert Ayers, Chris Baker, David Bruton, Stanley Bryant, Britton Colquitt, Rulon Davis, David Grimes, D.J. Johnson, Seth Olsen, Everette Pedescleaux, Blake Schlueter and Lucas Taylor -- along with Ring-of-Famer Billy Thompson headed to the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club to hang out with the kids during a summer kick-off picnic.
When the players arrived, the children had just finished eating, so they were ready to play. As the rookies began filing off the shuttle bus, they were greeted immediately with hugs and high-fives.
"I love it," Baker said of the reaction. "It reminds me of myself when I was little."
With smiles on their faces, the players and kids talked about football, compared muscles, told jokes and took pictures. Johnson even challenged some of the boys to a race.
Bruton said the afternoon was a lot of fun, and by the end of it all he felt a little like he'd been on the practice field.
"We do lots of running around on the field with coaches, but it's nothing like being out here and running around with the kids," he said with a laugh.
There were plenty of activities, from basketball to pool to ping-pong to a touchdown dance contest judged by the players. The contest consisted of boys and girls starting out holding a football, then music started pumping through the speakers. Plenty spiked the ball and started dancing, some used it as a prop and others danced with it like a partner.
Baker, Taylor and Davis were three of the judges, but plenty of other players watched from the crowd that gathered. Baker said the contest was one of his favorite parts of the afternoon.
"I love to dance -- dancing is my thing," said the 326-pound lineman, who has been known to break out a dance move or two on the sideline at practice. "They taught me how to do a local dance called the 'jerk,' so it was fun. It was just a great experience to see a smile on all the kids' faces."
Around Dove Valley, the rookies are certainly aware of the fact that they're just that -- rookies. So Colquitt said it was a great feeling to get to the Boys & Girls Club and get a reminder that they're part of an NFL team and kids already look up to them.
"Everybody asked if I was a quarterback. I'm like, 'Sorry to disappoint, I'm just a punter," Colquitt laughed. "But it's just really cool to play with them, just getting to see the kids and just trying to get to know them personally. They are all Denver fans, so it's really cool that they treat you like you're Champ Bailey or somebody big like that."
Grimes certainly played the part of a celebrity. He was the focal point of many pictures -- girls ran up to him throughout the day and asked him to pose with them. "I guess it's because of my size or something," joked the 5-foot-11 receiver.
He said he was happy to take every picture, because he knows how much it means to just take the time to interact with the kids.
"I can think back to when I was young and I looked up to certain people, and the opportunity to have those guys around and just to be around the kids is just good, giving back to the community," he said.
At the end of the afternoon, the players filed back onto the shuttle bus and got ready to leave. But the conversations about all the fun they had continued throughout the drive. Taylor said he's sure he'll be back, and Ayers agreed.
"It's something I did when I was at school at Tennessee, worked through the Boys and Girls Club in Knoxville for two years, and I plan on doing the same here," Ayers said.
Colquitt enjoyed the experience as well, and said he won't hesitate to be part of any future activities at the teen center.
"It's just an honor to get to do this," he said.
For a photo gallery from the trip, click here. (on link)