You could not have asked for better weather for the Justin Tuck Kids Football ProCamp last weekend. The sun was shinning and the temperature  most desirable at Northern Highlands High School in Allendale, New Jersey. The camp was sponsored by Old Spice, Citibank, and ProCamps. Kids ranging in ages from 7-14  from three different states  joined in on the festivities where New York Giant DE Justin Tuck, football coaches from New York, as well as some of Tuck’s teammates taught them the fundamentals of life and football. There were over 450 kids  in attendance for the weekend’s extravaganza.

The focal point of the camp was to teach children the importance of literacy, which is a key initiative of  Justin and Lauran Tuck’s foundation, R.U.S.H. for Literacy. The kids also learned about football fundamentals, team work, sportsmanship, and healthy eating. The camp maintained a high level of postitive energy throughout the day.  Cheers from the kids, parents, coaches and Tuck could be heard from states away.

The camp lasted two days and was held for 4 hours each day. This is Justin’s third year hosting the event and he plans to continue it for many more years. He looked as if he was a camp counselor his entire life, seeing him be so in tune with the children’s questions and needs. Running back and forth, up and down the field helping out anyway possible. He treated the children as if they were his own. I think at most points Justin was  wishing and pretending he was a kid again.  

All in all the camp was a success, however I would like to talk more about the biggest concern. Literacy. Most people who are not around inner city school systems do not truly understand how big the literacy problem is and how it is taking a toll on our  youth. My mother has been an NYC school teacher for 42 years. She has seen first hand how bright children  are not given a fair chance to succeed in life due to a lack of funding and resources in the school systems. One of her most distressing stories was of an 18 year old student who could not write an entire sentence. Cases like these underscore the importance of the work that generous people like Justin Tuck do to help correct this nationwide issue. If you would like to get more involved with or donate to Justin’s foundation, please visit Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy.

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Written by Wendy

One could say sports has been instilled upon me since birth, being born on a Superbowl Sunday in 1979. From day one I was bleeding Giants blue. My father brought me up to become a women writer and broadcaster for men professional sports. Women seldom did such a thing, and he wanted me to be one of the few. The New York Football Giants was a religion in my home, so much so that we had to pray to a Giants plaque before every game. Die hard enough to the extent of having the Giants helmet tattooed to back of my neck with the Superbowl wins written on the sides of it. Growing up with an older brother, he and his friends let me play street football, baseball, and basketball with them. I’ve done internships with News 12 sports New York, ABC sports New York, 1050 AM ESPN New York, and while attending Queens College hosted the football radio show.