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NFL Program Teaches Children The Importance Of Exercise

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By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 28, 2009

Updated: 01/28/2009 03:52 pm

TAMPA - More than 1,000 Tampa Bay elementary school children got a lesson today in the importance of exercise from about a dozen current and retired National Football League players and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.

The youngsters who spent the day on the NFL Experience grounds outside Raymond James Stadium had entered an NFL PLAY 60 program to learn fitness principles. The event was part of NFL KIDSDAY.

"I wrote in my journal every day about my activities," said Narvis Carmora, 11, a fifth grader at Oak Grove Elementary School in Tampa. "I got to try an extra point kick and it's fun."

The youngsters tested their running, passing and kicking skills before sitting down after lunch on the artificial turf at the NFL Clinic pavilion to listen to Crist, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers executive vice president Bryan Glazer and Bucs players Warren Dunn and Derrick Brooks emphasize the importance of being active at least 60 minutes a day.

"It will affect your quality of life forever," Crist told the youngsters.

Sam Kimmel, a 13-year-old eighth grader who lives in Homer City, Penn., wrote the winning essays among 20,000 entrants in the NFL PLAY 60 challenge, telling how he stays fit and how NFL players inspired him to stay active.

Kimmel, who is asthmatic, has followed the lead of retired NFL superstar Jerome Bettis, who also suffers from asthma, and got to spend some time recently with the former Pittsburgh Steelers running back.

Kimmel will run onto Raymond James Stadium field before the kickoff to Super Bowl XLIII and hand the game ball to officials.

He told the assemblage, "Go Steelers."

Youngsters can get information on the PLAY 60 program on NFLRush.com.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.

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