EAST ORANGE, NJ – Despite soaring temperatures, the inaugural Rasul Douglas Football Camp, presented by the Ted R. Green Foundation and AkeemCares Foundation, was a big success on Saturday Jan. 20 at Robeson Stadium in East Orange.
The free, non-contact camp drew dozens of kids ages 6-18.
On what was widely considered the hottest day of the summer, the campers took part in several exercise drills that will make them better players.
Throughout the camp, volunteers sprayed water from a hose at the campers to cool them down as they trained under the blazing sun.
Douglas, a 2012 graduate who played at East Orange Campus High School, is a third-year cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL. He was drafted by the Eagles in the 2017 NFL Draft in the third round after an All-American senior season at West Virginia University. In his rookie season, the Eagles beat the defending champion New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl.
Several coaches and dignitaries were on hand at the camp, including former EOCHS head football coach Marion Bell, who coached Douglas.
Mayor Green also was at the camp and expressed praise for Douglas for giving back to the community.
“I think it’s always a good thing when we have one of our homegrown, went out to college, went out and played professional football, became a Super Bowl champion, to come back and give back to our young people,” said Green in an interview with The Record-Transcript at the camp, “because it shows that he hasn’t forgotten about his home and it also gives our young people to say, you know what, if Rasul could do it, maybe I can do it… .We’re very happy for all the coaches who came out and really nurtured Rasul.”
Photos by Steve Ellmore
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