Trojans Host Youth Football Camp

According to defensive coordinator Aaron Segedi, the Trenton Trojans football tradition goes beyond what happens on Friday nights in the fall. It's about giving back.

That's what took place at June 28, 29, and 30 from 8 to 11 a.m. when over 100 elementary students got to meet their local football heroes and be coached by them at the annual summer football camp hosted by the Trenton Trojan seniors.

"I love doing stuff like this," said senior tailback Norvis Smith. "Helping the kids. It's fun."

Campers started off each day under the clump of forestry on the Trenton athletic fields affectionately known as "the trees." Then they broke up the kids by ages into different stations where players and coaches taught all the fundamentals from blocking to pass rushing to running with the ball to passing and receiving.

They had a punt, pass, and kick competition on the side with winners taking home prizes and then what football camp would have been complete without flag football at the end?

"It's really neat because the kids love it, working with the players," Segedi said. "But it's neat for us (coaches), too, because I remember these guys (the Trenton players) coming to this camp when they were kids. It's cool to see the tradition."

Players wore their home football jerseys and got to experience, perhaps for the first time, some of the perks of being a senior. Playing football with kids had to be more enjoyable than the strength training and running drills that were endured by the underclassman across the field with head coach Bob Czarnecki.

Segedi explained the importance that the Trenton coaching staff, led by Czarnecki, places on teaching the young men about giving back to the community. In addition to the football camp,  Mid-August, the Trojans will take part in a community fundraiser called the Lucas Walk.

On Sept. 17, Sedeki said the team will host the second annual football game for physically and mentally handicapped kids in the Downriver area. In this game, 40 young boys and girls get to take the field at the football stadium -- P.A. announcer, referees, and cheerleaders to boot -- and play with the help of the Trojan players, what for many of them, will be the only football game of their lives. Former University of Michigan coach Lloyd Carr is expected to speak to the kids this year.

"I know firsthand how attached this community is to this athletic program," said head coach Czarnecki. "That's why doing events like this is so important."

*Trenton Patch will cover the Sept. 17 events in full.