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Bucs Welcome Fellow Athletes to Camp

Aug 06, 2009 - As the horn sounded on Wednesday morning, indicating the end of a wet and physical practice, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers followed the customary training camp routine of greeting fans and visiting with family on the way to the locker room. It is no secret that the 2009 team has placed an added emphasis on giving back to its supporters, and the countless number of Buccaneers that lined the fences proved Wednesday to be no exception.

However one player in particular – Pro Bowl kick returner Clifton Smith – remained stationary amid the organized chaos surrounding him, taking a knee on the 30-yard line to survey the scene. With pads and mouthpiece still in place, Smith seemed to have an agenda in mind and it didn't include a hot shower in the near future.

When asked if everything was okay, the second-year player removed his mouthpiece to reveal an ear-to-ear grin. “I’m just waiting for the real fun to begin," he replied.

Smith knew that another group of athletes was about to showcase its skills at One Buc Place, and he wasn’t about to miss out on the action.

On Wednesday, the Buccaneers welcomed more than 70 athletes from Special Olympics Florida to training camp, continuing an annual tradition of hosting some of West Central Florida’s fiercest competitors for a fun-filled day with their favorite NFL players.

Smith was joined by quarterback Josh Johnson, wide receivers Dexter Jackson and Cortez Hankton, linebacker Jermaine Phillips, wide receiver Maurice Stovall and General Manager Mark Dominik, all of whom coached the local athletes in football drills and fundamentals on the very same field that the Buccaneers used for practice minutes earlier.

"I kept getting run over and tackled and they started running routes on me and catching passes and I thought, ‘Man, it’s a good thing Coach isn’t out here today because I would’ve been fired.’"

“For our athletes, being seen as athletes is very important,” said Amie Dugan, vice president of marketing for Special Olympics Florida. “Sometimes you could think, ‘Well, they have disabilities so they’re not quite real athletes or they’re not quite like everyone else.' So to be out here in a normalizing event like taking part in a clinic like this, getting the respect of pro athletes to come out and work with them, it means a great deal to them and their families.”

Phillips, who engaged the visiting athletes in a playful drill that included fumble recoveries and even tackling (of him), said the interaction was inspiring and fun.

“With the Special Olympics out here today, when you work with them they give back to you more than you give to them,” he said. “That’s really what life’s all about. They’ve been through different struggles in their lives for whatever they’re dealing with, but it’s no worries, it’s all fun and good times – and that’s what life’s supposed to be like.”

Special Olympics is a national organization committed to empowering people with intellectual disabilities. The nonprofit group helps athletes become healthier and more confident and leads them to be capable leaders both on and off the field.

“I got to train with the Buccaneers and I am so glad I did this today,” noted Bryan Weaver, a 20-year-old athlete who has attended other Buccaneers training camps in years past. “This is a very nice day and it’s very good to be here and I hope when I’m 21 next year I get to work with the Buccaneers because I’m a huge Buccaneers fan.”

Chances are, Smith will be in the middle of the fun next year, too.

“I just came out and let the inner kid in me come out and have fun with the kids and show them a couple of drills and let them have fun, let them enjoy their day,” said Smith. “Just giving the kids the ability to come out here and just run me over all day long and let me see their touchdown dance and just make them smile… it’s all worth it.”

Smith was undoubtedly pleased with his original decision to keep his pads on, as he often found himself doubling as a tackling dummy for the athletes.

“There was a girl out here today that hit me harder than anybody I’ve ever been hit by,” Smith admitted with a grin. “That was the most memorable moment for me.”

Joked Phillips: “I kept getting run over and tackled and they started running routes on me and catching passes and I thought, ‘Man, it’s a good thing Coach isn’t out here today because I would’ve been fired.’”

As it has become an annual tradition for the Buccaneers, so too has it for players like Smith and Phillips, who embrace special opportunities like this to give back.

“I did it a year before and it was a lot of fun,” noted Phillips. “I’ve seen some of the same faces, and doing it this year was just as enjoyable.”

Dugan noted that the Buccaneer players seemed to be having a bit more fun than the visiting athletes.

“That's hard to believe, but they seem to be having a blast," she said. "A lot of these guys have been with us for years and they do such a fantastic job and it’s just a great day for everybody.

“This means the world to our athletes and their families and we’re so appreciative that the Bucs invite us out and make our athletes a part of it and recognize that they are athletes. The support from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been fantastic and we really thank them.”