Former Opelika stars give back with football camp

Will Herring and Sajason Finley wanted a way to give back.

Each had graduated from Opelika High in 2002 and moved on to college football careers — Herring’s at Auburn and Finley’s at Tuskegee.

And because of their love of Opelika, the pair searched for a way to contribute a little extra to their community — and Finley found it on a Fellowship of Christian Athletes retreat.

“Coming out of our last year (at Opelika), me, Will, (former OHS, AU and current NFL player) T.J. Jackson and (former AU player) Wayne Dickens were at an FCA retreat and we came up with the idea to get back together and do a camp,” Finley said. “Ever since then we’ve done this camp, and we’ve been blessed to almost double the numbers from the first time we did it three years ago.”

The camp became known as the “Back to the DawgHouse Camp” — a summer youth football camp held at Opelika High which, unlike other football camps, has always been free to enter.

And at this camp the young athletes participating get the chance to work side-by-side with many former Opelika High players who have moved on to the next level.

The list of camp coaches this year included current NFL players Herring and Jackson and current or former Auburn University players Zach Clayton, Tez Doolittle and Matthew Motley.

“This was a great opportunity for us to give back and give these kids in the community something to look forward to, and some guys to look up to,” said Herring, currently a linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks. “We just ran with it after that first year and it’s gotten better ever since.”

While the camp is designed as a football camp and the participating kids get a chance to learn various skills, those helping put the camp on use the day to teach a deeper lesson as well.

“We try to relay to them the value of hard work and self discipline along with teamwork,” Herring said. “Football is a team sport, and even though it is just a game, you can learn a lot of valuable lessons about life.

“We try to get them to understand if you can work well with people, whether it’s on a football field or in the classroom, you can be successful in life.”

The camp, however, wouldn’t be able to be held if it weren’t for help within the community. And both Finley and Herring said the town of Opelika opens its arms when it comes time to organize the event.

“It’s awesome to go around the community and ask for something and have sponsors so open to give,” Finley said. “Those sponsors give us whatever we need to make this happen, and allow it to be a free camp so these guys can come out and not pay for anything, run around and play and just give us their time and hard work.”

| 737-2568