More than two dozen children came out June 23-24 to participate in the Clarendon Elites Youth Football Camp at Manning High School.
Led by Manning High Class of 2015 graduates Dashawn McFadden and Marquez Lemon, the event provided a two-day camp where participants were taught the fundamentals of football while also gaining experience in teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership.
"We felt by reaching out to younger kids that we could help build the future of Manning football," said McFadden. "We are products of recreational football and have also played both junior high and high school football."
Lemon said that the camp was offered to both boys and girls in the Clarendon community. Campers ranged in age from 7 to 13.
"We also reached out to other former Manning athletes for the camp who went on to play college football as well," said Lemon. "For us, it's simply about the kids and giving back to the community that helped us along the way."
Volunteer April Logan Conyers helped register campers. She said she was excited about the event's potential for Clarendon County children.
"I thought it all came together nicely, and it was really wonderful for the kids," she said.
Conyers, a firefighter with the Clarendon County Fire Department, works with McFadden, a volunteer there.
"Dashawn is a volunteer firefighter, and worked for Sole Response, which is an ambulatory transport service," said Conyers. "He is a graduate of Manning High School and attends Central Carolina Technical College in Sumter, majoring in criminal justice."
Lemon is studying sports medicine at the University of South Carolina Sumter.
"This will be an annual event," said McFadden. "We definitely want to thank Manning High School head Coach Keith West, Clarendon County Recreation Director LeBon Jose and all of the volunteer coaches and all of the corporate sponsors who helped make this possible."
