2011 June

C.H.A.M.P. Camp Back in Graceville

GRACEVILLE, Fla- It's time for the 2nd annual C.H.A.M.P. Camp at Graceville High School this week. It's a football camp hosted by Anthony "Champ" Kelly, a Graceville alum, who is the assistant director of pro personnel for the Denver Broncos. Kelly wants to continue to give back to the kids in his hometown and beyond. Last summer Champ Kelly started the C.H.A.M.P. camp to show young football players the fundamentals of the game, and to also teach them about more than just football. "Just talk about life skills," Champ Kelly said. "Accountability, just encouragement. About being tough, being reliable." Champ and his coaches are back for year number two, which they hope will doubles the first. "We've gone to Dothan Alabama to encourage some of those kids to come out. We had a chance to go to some schools here in Panama city to encourage those kids to come out. So we're excited about this year, hoping to double the turnout from a year ago in Graceville," added Kelly. Champ is not alone in this venture. He brings in several coaches and former players to give these children a chance to learn from people who have been where they want to go. People like Eric Kelly, a Bay High alum and former Kentucky Wildcat, who played in the NFL. "Just to be able to help the kids out and give them an opportunity to understand what it takes to achieve their goals, whether it's being an athlete or a doctor or lawyer," Eric Kelly said. "Whatever it may be. Just being able to give the kids in my area, that don't get that opportunity on an every day basis, a chance to meet someone who's [...]

Kelly’s Camp Fosters Success

Assistant Director of Pro Personnel Champ Kelly runs a football camp pointing youths in the right direction. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Anthony "Champ" Kelly grew up in a broken home. Living in a small rural town in the Florida panhandle, his parents struggled to provide a stable household and there were constant temptations to get involved with a dangerous crowd. It would have been easy for Kelly to fall prey to his difficult surroundings, but he survived that troubled childhood. "When I was growing up my mother was addicted to drugs and my dad wasn't around all the time. I was raised basically by my grandparents. We didn't have a whole lot," Kelly said. "A lot of the people that I grew up with - a lot of those people are in jail. Some are dead. Some got involved in drugs. I could have made the decision to get on the wrong path. "But having athletics and the strong presence of coaches helped steer me on the right path." Kelly - now the assistant director of pro personnel for the Denver Broncos - found success and proper guidance through the game of football. He played collegiately at the University of Kentucky and later played professionally in the United Indoor Football League. Now, with the help of his wife Stephanie, Kelly is using the sport to help steer youths in the right direction with Heart Power Inc. - a non-profit organization the couple created in 2010. According to Kelly, the most important aspect of his organization is the two-day, non-contact football camps. The 2nd annual C.H.A.M.P. camp recently took place in Kelly's hometown of Graceville, Fla., and also made its way to Lexington, Ky., for [...]