Eagles Ertz delivers $30G in sports goods for Chester kids
CHESTER >> Chester Panthers youth football got a boost in inspiration and funding Tuesday night when Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz paid a visit to their home field at Memorial Park. Ertz’s visit came on occasion of a $30,000 donation to the Chester Panthers Youth Empowerment and Athletic Association through his collaboration with Dunkin’ Donuts of greater Philadelphia’s TouchDDown for Kids and the Good Sports youth athletics charity.
“When Zach came on the field – it was amazing watching the kids’ reaction,” said Charles Thompson, association president and coach, following the event. “For a (professional athlete) to come and make their presence known… it definitely gives the kids a great deal of motivation to keep pushing forward.”
The donation will provide the club with helmets, apparel and training equipment, according to Thompson. The TouchDDown for Kids program is funded by
$250 donations by Dunkin’ to Good Sports Inc. for each Eagles touchdown throughout the season. Ertz personally donates an additional
$250 for each touchdown he scores. Since its inception in 2013, the program has raised more than $170,000. Past Delaware County donation recipients include the Boys and Girls Club of Chester and Sharon Hill Ramblers Youth Football.
“The helmets – they’re top of the line. Just to have them is unbelievable,” said Thompson. The donations of tackle wheels, chutes, dummies and agility tools such as ladders and cones will open new possibilities for Thompson and his coaching staff to work on fundamentals with players. “There are techniques that you can’t teach without a chute. The pop-up dummies are very efficient in teaching defense linemen to get through the line of scrimmage and to the quarterback,” he said.
Along with the donation in tow, Ertz brought his knowledge of the game to share with players during a question-and-answer session. Ja’sai Crew, tight end for the Panthers 11U division team, “asked a pertinent question and Zach’s answer was right on the money,” Thompson said. “He asked ‘how can I get to the NFL?’ Zach told him to get the best grades you can in high school and college,” he said, calling the exchange “the best question and answer of the night.”
Thompson hopes the new equipment will aid the club’s success in the United Youth Football League, where it has amassed 17 championships in the past nine years between its age divisions. “I want to thank Dunkin’ and Good Sports for teaming up and providing something for our program that we can’t imagine achieving ourselves. The kids went right to those tackle wheels and we went right to practice. The Panthers program is very grateful for all of the teamwork that took place yesterday,” he said.
The Panthers association counts 300 players among its five age divisions – ranging from 7U to 14-year-old, with 60 members in its cheerleading squad and another 40 children in its flag football division for ages 4-6. Founded in 1996, the club folded in 2001 before Thompson, an assistant coach for the club’s original run, reformed it in 2003.
Thompson, a longtime city resident currently residing in Marcus Hook, estimated 90-plus percent of players hail from Chester City, with the Chichester area, Upland, Chester Township and northern Delaware also represented. “We have a kid from Clifton Height that comes all the down,” he said.
The Panthers have become acquainted with the Eagles over the past two seasons. “Last year we had a workout and practice at the Novacare Center (the Eagles’ training facility in South Philadelphia) where the Eagles honored two special needs kids in our program – a cheerleader and player,” said Thompson. “They got to meet three different Eagles players.”
Prior to Ertz’s visit to the city, wide receiver Nelson Agholor visited a Panthers’ camp at Chester High School in summer 2018. “We’ve had a lot of involvement with the Eagles over the last two seasons – (Tuesday’s) was the biggest. It’s kind of hard to top that (donation),” Thompson said.