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| Rookie QB Jake Locker leads children through mini-football drills during the team's annual Hometown Huddle event at the Fannie Battle Day Home for Children. |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans' 2011 rookie class enjoyed a special recess Tuesday with students at the Fannie Battle Day Home for Children.
Twelve Tennessee players, along with Titans cheerleaders, team mascot T-Rac and representatives from the organization joined with the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville for the afternoon of service at the child care center in East Nashville.
The play session was in observance of Hometown Huddle, a league-wide day of service that the NFL and United Way started in 1999. It extended the great partnership between the Titans and the United Way and built on the NFL PLAY 60 collaborative message that encourages children to be active for 60 minutes a day.
It was also an opportunity for the players, cheerleaders, T-Rac and the children to enjoy an afternoon of fun and exercise, rookie quarterback Jake Locker said.
"It's fun to come out and spend time with them, to encourage them to get out and move around in whatever kind of way it is," Locker said. "Whether it's through sports or just coming outside and playing tag or running around, we're encouraging them to get out and move around."
Locker teamed with rookie defensive linemen Jurrell Casey and Karl Klug at a station where children went through mini football drills.
"They're some good athletes," Locker said. "Some of them had some good arms, some of them had some quick feet, so a lot of potential."
Eric Dewey, President and CEO of the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville, thanked the Titans for their help in showing the children just how much fun they can have with physical activity.
"For a lot of these kids, it's the day of a lifetime," Dewey said. "United Way and the Titans are a terrific partnership — have been for a long time. We want our kids in our communities to be healthy. We want them to be happy. If we can help with both of those things, they can go to school and reach their potential."
Rookie linebacker Akeem Ayers said he was always active during his youth, so he enjoyed the opportunity to help spread the PLAY 60 message.
"It's about having a healthy life," Ayers said. "Exercise as much as you can, and at the end of the day, they're having fun, so it's like two-in-one. We thought we'd bring the players out here and motivate them to play more. They can kind of chase us around."
Ayers, fellow linebacker Colin McCarthy and receiver James Kirkendoll started at the dodgeball/tag station before switching with defensive lineman Zach Clayton and offensive lineman Byron Stingily at the water balloon toss/egg-and-spoon race station. Ayers said T-Rac brought some interesting elements to the dodgeball station.
"He kind of escalated the game, but he's a real big target," Ayers said. "If you can't hit him, you've got to work on your accuracy."
Tight end Cameron Graham and receiver Michael Preston coached kids through rounds of cornhole, and defensive back Tommie Campbell and running back Jamie Harper played rounds of ping pong. Titans cheerleaders helped children make pompoms and taught them a special cheer.
"I had the honor of doing the ping pong table, and this little girl was killing me," Harper said. "That was kind of fun. I kind of didn't like to get beat, but there was nothing I could do about it."
Harper said it was all about showing that the Titans want the children to be active. Dewey said the event was a "wonderful reminder" about the importance of play.
"Having the Titans organization out here is a little bit of jet fuel for these kids," Dewey said. "It really is going to be the memory of a lifetime. They'll ride that for a long time. Having our kids healthy is really important."
Locker said he and his teammates enjoyed the chance to serve the Nashville community for Hometown Huddle.
"Any time you're able to give back, it's a great opportunity," Locker said. "When you're able to do it as a group, you're able to have fun with each other while you're having fun with these kids. It helps create bonds, and I think it's good for us as a football team and it's fun for these kids as well."
ABOUT HOMETOWN HUDDLE
Hometown Huddle is a league-wide day of community-service activities that was started in 1999 to help make a difference in NFL communities. Teams have shown support for the NFL PLAY 60 initiative during Hometown Huddle in each of the past four seasons.
ABOUT FANNIE BATTLE DAY HOME FOR CHILDREN
Fannie Battle Day Home for Children is the oldest child care center in Middle Tennessee. It was founded in 1891 by Miss Fannie Battle, a teacher and social worker. The child care center provides affordable care for children ages 6 months to 12 years old from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday year-round. Ninety-two percent of children that attend Fannie Battle Day Home are from low-income families. Seventy percent of the families are working, six percent are in school and 22 percent are working and in school.
