Cam Ward hosts his third annual youth football camp in West Columbia, inspiring local kids.
WEST COLUMBIA, Texas — Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Cam Ward returned to his roots on Sunday, hosting his third annual youth football camp in his hometown of West Columbia.
The event brought together dozens of kids eager to learn the game from a hometown hero now playing on football’s biggest stage.
“Means a lot,” Ward told KHOU 11’s Luis Ortiz. “Especially for the kids out here who don’t have a lot of professional athletes from this side of Texas. Now they know someone who’s done it, they know they have a chance to do it. They just got to continue to work hard.”
Ward reflected on his own childhood, comparing the kids’ excitement at the camp to the feeling he had meeting NBA legends like Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant.
“We all big kids. We just like them. We’re just a little bigger than them playing football, so I mean it’s a blessing though for you know the kids to come out here,” he said.
Ward, who recently wrapped up minicamp with the Titans, emphasized the importance of hard work and character, especially for kids growing up in small towns.
“Especially being in a small town, you don’t get a lot of looks at from the big schools and then they also gotta remember they gotta be just a good person because at the end of the day football only gonna be a 4th or 2nd in your life, so you gotta, you gotta be a good, a good person, that’ll carry you a long way,” Ward said.
Back in Tennessee, Ward is using his offseason to stay in touch with teammates and prepare for his first NFL training camp.
“We’re really just enjoying our off time, especially for us rookies. We don’t get a lot of off time this year in our rookie year, just because we got to go through the combine, pre-draft prep, all of that, but you know I’m excited. I really don’t need a break,” he said.
When asked about his biggest learning moments so far, Ward said timing and decision-making have been key.
“You gotta get the ball out, just within the pocket, outside the pocket, you gotta be on time. Everybody’s fast, especially the defensive linemen,” he said. “I think the biggest adjustment that, you know, I have to go through is just being able to keep the job on pace, not really just having to try to big play launch every play, more taking what the defense gives you and just methodically moving the ball down the field.”
As for the transition to the professional level, Ward said the biggest adjustment hasn’t been the speed of the game, but the precision.
“I think it’s more the technique and, and guys knowing what we’re running, we know what they’re doing defensively and then it’s about your receiver and myself. Putting the ball in a good spot for them to make a catch, everybody doing their job and just really just playing, playing at a faster pace,” he said.
Ward is already looking ahead to the Titans’ season opener against the Denver Broncos.
“We’re going up there, we playing a good team up there. They come from a playoff. They got a good, a good defense out there, a good offense, so you know they’re well well-rounded team. So, you know we’re gonna, we’re gonna have our hands full. They’re gonna have their hands full, you know, I’m just hoping to get out there with a win,” he said.