5 WPIAL graduates give back by organizing, working football clinic in Wilkinsburg
Jul. 2—The voice was as loud and distinctive as it was during his three seasons at Pitt. Only, this time, it was a bit playful.
Clearly, Paris Ford was enjoying himself.
A few boys weren't getting in a straight enough line to suit Ford, one of five NFL players with WPIAL ties who organized, funded and worked the PGH 2 Pros clinic Friday at recently renovated UPMC Graham Field in Wilkinsburg.
"No pushing," he said like any middle school teacher might do. And just like that, the pushing stopped, the line got straighter.
Ford, Damar Hamlin, Khaleke Hudson, Kenny Robinson and Miles Sanders worked the clinic as a way to repay the community for its support since high school. A large group of 325 boys (ages 5-12) attended — free of charge — and were given a T-shirt, treated to lunch and offered instruction by five young men who will be in NFL camps by the end of this month.
"We're just givers," said Hamlin, who played safety at Central Catholic and Pitt and was the Buffalo Bills' sixth-round draft choice this year. "We have a heart full of love. We care about our city.
"It's just something we always wanted to do for our community and now that we're in a position to do it, it was the first thing we wanted to do. We wanted to wait until we all got to the league."
Hamlin remembered going to a similar camp when he was as young as the boys he was instructing Friday.
"My first camp, I remember being able to work a drill with Troy Polamalu (at Steelers training camp)," he said. "I have a picture from that camp that I still have today. Just to think the roles are switched, it's a blessing. I'm super thankful."
Hamlin said his message Friday was, "You never know what you can accomplish."
"It's definitely a marathon and not a sprint. Some people might be ahead of you. Just stay focused, stay committed, stay consistent and the sky's the limit."
Among the parents in attendance was Danielle Karan of McKeesport, whose sons, 10-year-old Tallie Stinson and 7-year-old Taylen Stinson, were out of bed by 7 a.m. for the 11 a.m. start to the clinic
"It gives them so much to look forward to," Karan said. "It gives them inspiration, like you can do it, too.
"It's important to them because you're in these communities and they don't have much, but if you put forth (the effort), you can be like these guys. You can get out and do something."
The clinic also gave Hudson, a McKeesport graduate, a chance to work together, finally, with Sanders, who went to Woodland Hills and Penn State and is now a Philadelphia Eagles running back.
They have been friendly rivals since childhood, playing against each other in youth football (McKeesport vs. Swissvale), college (Michigan vs. Penn State) and in the NFL (Washington Football Team vs. the Eagles).
"That's my boy," Hudson said. "We always go at it, but at the end of the day it's all love. We try and make each other better. We try and challenge each other. We both have the same goal to make our family proud."
Hudson also will meet up with Robinson, an Imani Christian graduate, Nov. 21 when Washington plays the Carolina Panthers.
Hamlin carved out time for the clinic, but he said there's been no breaks for him since the draft.
"The regimen has been all training, nothing but work," he said. "Just trying to put myself in the best position to be successful this year."
Hamlin and Ford were safeties on the Pitt defense the past two seasons.
"It's always good to be reunited with my boy. That's like my twin, you know," Hamlin said.
He said the feeling carries over to all five of them. "We're all real-deal brothers."
Ford, who wasn't drafted but signed with the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent, said he has added about 13 pounds since college to 203.
"I put on a couple pounds of muscle. I lost 5 pounds of body fat, trying to transition to the NFL," Ford said.
Asked if he has something to prove after the draft snub, Ford expressed no animosity.
"You should always have something to prove. Now, I'm just doing it in front of more people," he said. "I always perform better when my back's against the wall."
Ford opted out of the final four games of Pitt's season, but he proudly wore a blue and gold Pitt hat Friday.
"I bleed it," he said, "can't erase it."
Jerry DiPaola is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jerry by email at jdipaola@triblive.com or via Twitter .
