supercentex
07-03-2005, 10:07 PM
Waco ISD exports unite
By Chad Conine Tribune-Herald staff writer
Friday, July 01, 2005
When LaDainian Tomlinson and Derrick Johnson meet on October 30, it will be in the context of an AFC West battle between Tomlinson's San Diego Chargers and Johnson's Kansas City Chiefs.
But on Thursday, the two Waco ISD products shared the stage together as football players who also desire to be role models for a younger generation of athletes.
Johnson, the 15th pick in the first round of April's NFL draft, gave a motivational speech and fielded questions from a room full of football players at Camp LT, Tomlinson's camp being held at Floyd Casey Stadium this week.
“I take pride in this,” Johnson said, “being from Waco, to come back and let the kids know it's not as hard as you think it is. You have to make sure your work ethic is very hard.”
Camp director Richard Hightower introduced Johnson in the Baylor football team meeting room, not that the University of Texas All-American needed it.
“Y'all know who this is?” Hightower asked the room.
“Derrick Johnson!” about 150 campers answered in unison.
Johnson preached staying in school, working hard and staying off drugs during his brief delivery. Then the floor opened for questions and the eager campers and the camp's namesake took advantage.
Tomlinson prompted one camper to ask Johnson, “Are y'all going to beat San Diego?”
Johnson recognized the question as coming from Tomlinson and shyly avoided a definite answer.
The two NFL players shared a common message: “If we did it, you can, too.”
“It's a special time for the kids here in Waco having two hometown guys to look up to,” Tomlinson said. “To really be able to say, 'I can do this. I can go to college. I can be whatever I want to be.' ”
Johnson had recently graduated from Waco High when Tomlinson held his first Camp LT in Waco, but the former Waco High linebacker looked up to the former University High running back nonetheless.
“I was looking at LT, seeing him do a lot of good things on the field and getting drafted high to the Chargers and knowing in probably four years I'll be in his shoes,” Johnson said. “Now I am and we'll be playing each other.”
Tomlinson continued to toss out questions for the campers to ask, like what a day of mini-camp entailed.
“I went into the National Football League the first time thinking it was going to be peaches and cream,” Tomlinson said. “(I was) thinking 'I don't have school. I'm going to go to practice and get off around 12 o'clock. I don't have nothing to do.' It was 6 o'clock (a.m.) to 6 o' clock (p.m.). I was like, 'Wow! This is a job.' ''
Johnson spoke candidly to the campers, revealing his disappointment at never beating Oklahoma while at Texas. He also said he will wear No. 56 for the Chiefs.
While Tomlinson said putting on Camp LT is part of his warm up for football season, Johnson might have been more in wind-down mode. The Chiefs rookie returned to Texas on Wednesday from the NFL rookie symposium, and has had a lot thrown at him to learn in a short period of time.
“I wasn't surprised by the physical part of it,” Johnson said. “But there's a whole lot to learn. It's more mental than anything.”
Tomlinson said he was happy to have Johnson speaking at his camp because it provides a priceless experience for the young players.
“You've got two young men that are reaping the benefits of a lot of work,” Tomlinson said. “I would've loved to be in this position (as a kid). Really, just to look and see what it is they're doing.”
cconine@wacotrib.com
By Chad Conine Tribune-Herald staff writer
Friday, July 01, 2005
When LaDainian Tomlinson and Derrick Johnson meet on October 30, it will be in the context of an AFC West battle between Tomlinson's San Diego Chargers and Johnson's Kansas City Chiefs.
But on Thursday, the two Waco ISD products shared the stage together as football players who also desire to be role models for a younger generation of athletes.
Johnson, the 15th pick in the first round of April's NFL draft, gave a motivational speech and fielded questions from a room full of football players at Camp LT, Tomlinson's camp being held at Floyd Casey Stadium this week.
“I take pride in this,” Johnson said, “being from Waco, to come back and let the kids know it's not as hard as you think it is. You have to make sure your work ethic is very hard.”
Camp director Richard Hightower introduced Johnson in the Baylor football team meeting room, not that the University of Texas All-American needed it.
“Y'all know who this is?” Hightower asked the room.
“Derrick Johnson!” about 150 campers answered in unison.
Johnson preached staying in school, working hard and staying off drugs during his brief delivery. Then the floor opened for questions and the eager campers and the camp's namesake took advantage.
Tomlinson prompted one camper to ask Johnson, “Are y'all going to beat San Diego?”
Johnson recognized the question as coming from Tomlinson and shyly avoided a definite answer.
The two NFL players shared a common message: “If we did it, you can, too.”
“It's a special time for the kids here in Waco having two hometown guys to look up to,” Tomlinson said. “To really be able to say, 'I can do this. I can go to college. I can be whatever I want to be.' ”
Johnson had recently graduated from Waco High when Tomlinson held his first Camp LT in Waco, but the former Waco High linebacker looked up to the former University High running back nonetheless.
“I was looking at LT, seeing him do a lot of good things on the field and getting drafted high to the Chargers and knowing in probably four years I'll be in his shoes,” Johnson said. “Now I am and we'll be playing each other.”
Tomlinson continued to toss out questions for the campers to ask, like what a day of mini-camp entailed.
“I went into the National Football League the first time thinking it was going to be peaches and cream,” Tomlinson said. “(I was) thinking 'I don't have school. I'm going to go to practice and get off around 12 o'clock. I don't have nothing to do.' It was 6 o'clock (a.m.) to 6 o' clock (p.m.). I was like, 'Wow! This is a job.' ''
Johnson spoke candidly to the campers, revealing his disappointment at never beating Oklahoma while at Texas. He also said he will wear No. 56 for the Chiefs.
While Tomlinson said putting on Camp LT is part of his warm up for football season, Johnson might have been more in wind-down mode. The Chiefs rookie returned to Texas on Wednesday from the NFL rookie symposium, and has had a lot thrown at him to learn in a short period of time.
“I wasn't surprised by the physical part of it,” Johnson said. “But there's a whole lot to learn. It's more mental than anything.”
Tomlinson said he was happy to have Johnson speaking at his camp because it provides a priceless experience for the young players.
“You've got two young men that are reaping the benefits of a lot of work,” Tomlinson said. “I would've loved to be in this position (as a kid). Really, just to look and see what it is they're doing.”
cconine@wacotrib.com