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Wednesday, Jul. 21, 2010

Recognition not vital to Stuckey

WARNER ROBINS — Eight-year-old Jawuan Hall’s face lit up with surprise when he was told that camp host Chansi Stuckey used to play football at Northside.

“For real?” Hall said, moments after admitting he wasn’t very familiar with the Stuckey name.

You can hardly blame the youngster. After all, Hall wasn’t even born when Stuckey, as quarterback, spearheaded the Eagles’ memorable drive to the 2001 state championship game.

Now a receiver with the Cleveland Browns, Stuckey, 26, shrugs off the significance of the fact many of the children who attend his football camp never saw him play.

“If they don’t know (me), that’s even better,” Stuckey said Friday during drills at Perkins Field in Warner Robins. “I just want to be a guy that’s doing a positivity around the city. When they hear my name, I want them to think about the camp, think about the fun they had, the stuff they learned here and take it into the community, onto the field — whatever aspect of life that they do.”

Performed in conjunction with the Warner Robins Recreation Department, Stuckey’s camp was his second annual and featured 100 boys ages 13-and-under. According to director Martha Ann Lumpkin, the recreation department added 75 names to a waiting list before shutting it down.

“There were a few from the waiting list that we called in,” camp director Lisa Jones said. “And they sure were happy about it.”

Stuckey said he could probably attract as many as 400 kids to the free camp, but that presents the chance for organizational chaos. More important, the camp would lose the intimacy which is so important to the Browns’ No. 83.

“I just like to keep it small so I can really get the hands-on and work with the kids, get to know the kids and just really make sure I touch everyone,” Stuckey said.

This year’s camp also featured instruction for cheerleaders, conducted by members of the Northside High squad. Stuckey said the idea came from his mother, who wanted to make sure no one got left out.

About 75 cheerleaders ages 4-13 participated.

“It was definitely a great honor to be asked to participate,” Northside cheerleading coach Valerie Watkins said. “The girls were very excited to show their community support.”