Lynch’s impact in Oakland is evident at free camp
The impact of Marshawn Lynch’s return to Oakland has already shown itself in areas like jerseys sales, but in terms of what’s important to the man himself, look no further than the free football camp he held over the weekend.
Officially, it was the 11th annual Fam 1st Foundation Football Camp, but truly it served as yet another event to celebrate the homecoming of Lynch to the Raiders.
An estimated 2,000 kids attended the free camp that was hosted by Lynch and the rest of the Fam 1st family, which includes cofounder and president Josh Johnson of the New York Giants and vice president Marcus Peters, a star cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs and another Oakland native. New York Giants safety Ryan Murphy and former 49ers wide receiver DiAndre Campbell, both Oakland Tech High alums like Lynch, also served as volunteer coaches and Raiders left tackle Donald Penn helped out as well.
Johnson said the attendance doubled what they normally have gotten when holding the camp at Oakland Tech in recent years and they have Lynch and the Raiders to thank. The line to register for the first of Saturday’s two camps — a morning session was for ages 6-12, followed by a lunch break and an afternoon session for ages 13-18 — flowed for at least two hours and kids continued to trickle in as the session went along.
The chance to set foot on an actual NFL practice field and interact with Lynch, now truly one of their own as a member of the Raiders, proved to be a huge draw.
“Kids didn’t have stuff like this growing up when I was growing up, so it means a hell of a lot,” said Peters, a former McClymonds High star and two-time All-Pro selection. “The Raiders are leaving, so it gives them an opportunity to see where the Raiders handle their business at, gives them an opportunity to practice on this same field the players practice on. It’s a beautiful turn out. It’s always a beautiful thing to give these kids a free camp.”
When Peters was growing up, the Raiders facility was merely something he saw off in the distance if he was dropping somebody off at the nearby Oakland airport. Johnson remembers coming by here once as a kid, but it was nothing like what the kids got to experience Saturday.
“To have this opportunity to touch this grass, see this field, to see everything around, just be able to feel it, embrace it, that in itself to me is a lot because you never know how that might settle a kid’s mind and allow them to push themselves to maybe want to be a part of this or be something this special,” Johnson said. “So this being here I think is tremendous. Shout out to the Raiders for allowing us to let us do that.”
Lynch was at ease in this environment, going crazy when one young running back delivered an anklebreaking move and giving a pep talk to another who shed a few tears before Marshawn’s encouraging words got him to run through a drill a second time.
The free camps served as the conclusion to a week of events that included a movie night, a trip to the Raging Waters water park in San Jose to which he handed out 2,000 free tickets, a talent show and a bowling outing.
“It’s just a special time,” Murphy said of the week. “I look forward to this every summer, since I’ve been attending this camp. I’ve attended this camp as a participant, now being where I’m at and being able to volunteer and help out is just amazing.”