Brothers Rub Shoulders with NFL Players

Glen Ellyn residents Hank Knez and his brother, Jack, have to be the most popular kids on their block nowadays, sharing stories with friends about what they did and who they met last week.

Ten-year-old Hank and 12-year-old Jack spent four days at the eighth annual Alex Brown Football Camp, held at Benedictine University in Lisle.

Each day, the Knez brothers donned their pads and helmets for six hours (including evening sessions) with nearly 200 other campers ages 8 to 18. They learned gridiron fundamentals not only from high school and college coaches across the country, but from Brown himself … and a few of Brown’s former Chicago Bears teammates.

During the camp’s midweek afternoon session, Hank and Jack took instruction from, and got to rub shoulders with, NFL players familiar to most Bears fans: wide receiver Johnny Knox, the team’s leading pass-catcher last season; and former Bear running backs Adrian Peterson and Jason McKie.

Later in the week, they met Zack Bowman and Tim Jennings, and learned defensive techniques from the two Bears cornerbacks.

There’s a reason Brown brings NFL players into his camps every day: so those in camp learn from the best.

“If (Apple, Inc. co-founder) Steve Jobs came and told me something about a computer, I’m probably going to listen,” Brown said. “But if Joe Blow off the street comes in with a computer, I might be, ‘What?’

“So if I get professional players to come in here and we actually teach the guys, they’re more apt to listen and to accept what we’re trying to tell them. Even some of the coaches, sometimes you just can’t get it over to them (what you’re trying to teach kids). So if you can bring in some guys that can actually teach the kids, ‘OK, we’re going to do it this way; we’re going to do it this way,’ they’ll actually try. And when it works, it’s even better and they want more.”

The Knezes also participated in scrimmages, stayed overnight throughout the week at on-campus facilities, enjoyed all-you-can-eat breakfast, lunch and dinner (with snacks in between), and took part in supervised recreation when time permitted.

No doubt, Hank and Jack will take what they’ve learned at camp and put it into play when they start next month with their Glen Ellyn Golden Eagles Youth Football League travel team.

“It’s really fun,” Hank said of the camp. “You do a lot of work, but it is really fun. I’ve learned a lot … to improve our stance and better blocking. I do play a little defense, too.”

“It’s good, like my brother said,” Jack added. “It’s great for practice.”

They’ll be on the same team this year. It’ll be Hank’s second season with the Golden Eagles, and Jack’s first.

Jack used to be a wrestler, but said he’s switched over to football.

“I’m going to play football (now),” Jack said, “so I’m used to getting hit and hitting people.”

Hank and Jack enjoyed learning football from Brown and his former teammates. What thrilled them even more, however, was the chance to spend quality time with players who’ve made it to the NFL. Those who attended camp also got an opportunity to ask  each pro player questions about their lives and their careers for several minutes .

“It was really cool, and they gave us a little advice on football,” Hank said. “I talked to Alex Brown. He’s really nice, and he’s funny, too.”

“My favorites here were Alex Brown and Adrian Peterson,” Jack said. “I love Adrian Peterson.”

Jack is a Vikings fan, so it’s possible he’s thinking about the Vikings’ star running back who spells his name exactly the same way as the former Bears back. Adrian L. Peterson, Minnesota’s all-pro tailback, has gained over 5,700 yards in his first four NFL seasons. Adrian N. Peterson now plays for the United Football League’s Virginia Destroyers. (He was by the Bears after they signed Chester Taylor prior to the 2010 season.)

That said, Jack, Hank and other boys from around the area and across the country who participated in the camp had fun—something that’s just as important to Brown as the amount of football instruction each camper received.

“My camp is a lot of fun and we don’t have kids that don’t have fun,” said Brown, a Chicago Bear for eight years before joining the New Orleans Saints in 2010. “I’ve never had a kid that didn’t have a great time, so we’re planning on keeping that. They all have fun, and we have fun, so that’s what we like.”