By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
Terrance Copper is looking to be a gracious host this weekend. Not only is he promising to show kids a fun time at Saturday’s Terrance Copper First Annual Football Camp, but Copper is also hoping to show his NFL and former East Carolina University buddies a good time in Washington.
Copper’s camp, which will be preceded by a banquet Friday evening at the Washington Civic Center, is running the same day as the Washington Summer Festival. The current New Orleans Saints’ wide receiver/special teams ace plans to take his friends downtown and show them some of the town’s highlights.
A handful of Copper’s Saints’ teammates will help him out at the camp, including fellow receivers Devery Henderson, David Patten, Lance Moore and Robert Meacham. New Orleans wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson, who will be the guest speaker at Friday’s banquet, and assistant coach Carter Sheridan will also be on hand.
Also assisting at the camp will be Vonta Leach, a former ECU teammate and current fullback with the Houston Texans, Jamal Jones, a former New Orleans teammate and current Philadelphia Eagles’ receiver, and former ECU teammates Marvin Townes (running back), Donald Whitehead (cornerback) and Grover Benton (cornerback).
Gerald Lawrence, a former standout at Washington High School and current ECU linebacker, will also be assisting during Saturday’s camp.
Running backs Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush, who will be in London promoting the team’s Oct. 26 game against the San Diego Chargers, are expected at either the banquet or the camp.
Marques Colston was hoping to help out at the camp, but a commitment will keep him from attending.
The camp, which is for kids ages 7-18, will be held at Washington High School. Copper said two fields may be used depending on the turnout.
Copper, who was inducted into the Washington Walk of Fame last year, said he’s not worried about how many people attend.
Pre-registration will be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on the morning of the camp. The cost, which includes a T-shirt, is $30.
Copper will address the campers from 9 to 9:10 a.m. A group dynamic stretch will be held from 9:10 to 9:20 a.m.
The campers will then be broken down into three age groups: Group 1, 7-10 years-old; Group 2, 11-14 years-old and Group 3, 15-18 years-old.
The groups will go through three sessions, including offense, defense and agility.
In session one, which goes from 9:20 to 10:05 a.m., Group 1 will do offense, Group 2 will do defense and Group 3 will do agility.
Following a 10-minute break, the second session will last from 10:15 to 11 a.m. Group 1 will do defense, Group 2 will do agility and Group 3 will do offense.
After another 10-minute break, the third session will go from 11:10 to 11:55 a.m. Group 1 will do agility, Group 2 will do offense and Group 3 will do defense.
Campers, and those who pay a $5 entrance fee to get inside the gates, will be able to get autographs from the football players from noon until 1 p.m.
The Saints, who recently finished minicamp, will wrap up OTA’s (organized team activities) this week. Training camp, which lasts approximately three weeks, begins July 23.
Copper, who will begin his fifth season in the NFL when the Saints kick off the regular season Sept. 7 at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is glad he has a chance to give back to the community.