Walker and Williams are both excited to get back on the field after missing part of the 2022 season due to injury.
Harper Woods — Detroit Lions receiver Jameson Williams was all smiles on Saturday after hosting his first-annual youth football camp at Chandler Park Academy.
More than 300 participants registered for the camp, which was made possible through the Jameson Williams Foundation and soft-drink sponsor DRNX.
Williams’ passion and love for the game were exemplified in his interactions with young fans Saturday making sure to sign t-shirts, take photos, throw the ball and dap up anyone who asked.
“This is my happy place being out here, being around football. I was once going to little league camps like this. I went to a Marshall Faulk camp growing up, so it’s just something I’ve seen as a youngin’ and now it’s my turn to do it,” Williams said.
The event was divided into two sessions, the first focusing on athletes in grades 3-6 and the second for athletes in grades 7-12. Despite the rain Saturday, spectators with umbrellas lined the field and young athletes with soaked shirts and muddy cleats worked through the afternoon.
“We were planning to have the event rain or shine,” said Su Brooks, Williams’ aunt, who helped organize the event. “Jameson was really excited to have this event regardless of the weather; he just really wanted to show love to the city,” she said.
Brooks said Williams made it a goal of his to make the camp a reality after initially sitting down with his family to discuss the idea.
With training camp around the corner, and year two on the clock for the 22-year-old receiver, Williams is excited to get back on the field.
“I just want to go out and play ball,” he said. “I haven’t played ball in about 2 years, I tore my ACL and now we have this (suspension).”
In April, Williams along with three other Lions players were suspended for violating the NFL’s gambling policy.
His six-game suspension will begin at the start of the 2023 regular season. For three weeks, he’ll be barred from the team’s practice facility and then be allowed to rejoin the team for conditioning, strength training and meetings, but will still be prohibited from practicing unless the league grants an exemption.
Williams told The Detroit News he’s looking forward to scoring a lot of touchdowns and winning games this upcoming season, especially with a stacked receiver room.
“I think it’s gonna be great; we added a couple pieces,” Williams said. “We got Marvin (Jones), we got a couple pieces from last year, Jey-Rey (Josh Reynolds), (Amon-Ra) St. Brown and me, so it’s gonna be good.”
Williams plans to continue hosting free camps for aspiring athletes along with other community events through his foundation.
“This is going to be a big thing for a long time,” Brooks said.
Less than two miles down the road at Heilman Recreation Center, Lions safety Tracy Walker III partnered with Detroit Black JeepHERS to give away 1,000 backpacks and host a skills camp at Peacenic 2023.
Peacenic is a collective gathering of the community and law enforcement to share in food, fellowship and fun in the name of peace, according to the event’s website.
“I don’t want this to be my first and only year doing this,” Walker said.
At Peacenic a U-HAUL truck full of backpacks made possible through donations collected from members of Detroit Black JeepHERS, Detroit’s first black women Jeep Wrangler club and a donation from Walker’s Foundation, The TTIME Foundation.
Walker gave props to Anniece “Neicey” Jamison, founder of Detroit Black JeepHERS, for helping to organize the backpack giveaway.
It’s heartwarming seeing all of these kids getting school supplies,” Jamison said. “I didn’t have this as a kid, so I love it.”
Ahead of his sixth season with the Lions, Walker’s main goal is to stay healthy. Last season, he suffered from a torn Achilles during week three against the Minnesota Vikings.
“We thought we had a lot of success last year, but I’m gonna really change this team, and so that’s my main goal is to stay healthy and the rest gonna take care of itself,” he said.
Twitter: @mackenziethomp