The Special Skills Football Camp returned to Ohio State's campus on Thursday.
The Special Skills Football Camp is an annual invitational that welcomes individuals with special needs to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center for a few hours of football-related fun. Around 200 campers (8 years old and up) from Ohio attended the 10th annual edition of the camp, where over 100 volunteers and a handful of Buckeye football players coached them in drills.
The camp was rewarding for participants and players alike. Ohio State linebacker Reid Carrico, who enters his third season with the program in 2023, said the experience reminded him of how important the Buckeyes are to people who call Ohio home. As an Ironton native, a town on the state's south border, Carrico was filled with pride to participate in the event.
"It's all about these kids that come out here," Carrico said. "They want to have a good time. They want to be around some Buckeye football players. I don't know, man – you see how happy they are and how much fun they have. It's definitely worth it. It makes me feel good, but I can only imagine how they feel.
"I hope they were having fun. I was over there on the tackle wheels. They are all fired up, and they want to knock the crap out of them. For me to see that, and for them to have fun and enjoy it, then it makes me feel good about myself, but it makes me feel like this thing really matters."
Ohio State defensive back Jermaine Mathews Jr., who arrived on campus in January as an early enrollee, shared a similar sentiment to Carrico. Mathews played high school football at Winton Woods in Cincinnati and had several attendees, including campers, parents and guardians, approach him throughout the day and thank him for his participation in the event.
"I wanted to get my name out there, helping the community. This is an outreach for us," Mathews said. "For me and some of my teammates, this is something to do (and help out). ... They brought it to our attention, and we volunteered. Whoever wanted to volunteer came out here and helped out to see everyone else out here havin' fun."
Mathews said his favorite part of the event was teaching campers to pass the football with power and accuracy. He even took a few snaps, completed efficient three-, five- and seven-step drops and delivered some touchdown passes himself.
"I was over there with the quarterbacks, and they were throwin' some spirals," Mathews said. "We have to recruit one of them. They were throwin' some spirals. But it was so good to see everyone happy. That's the best part of this, to be honest."
While Mathews offered his best Kyle McCord and Devin Brown impression at quarterback on Thursday, Ohio State walk-on defensive lineman Bryce Prater remained at his natural position, helping campers with their stances in an abbreviated version of a 3-cone drill.
As Prater partook in an interview with Eleven Warriors, the third-year Buckeye was accompanied by one of the campers he instructed at the event, Miranda Millbrook. Prater and Millbrook's encounter proved that it's a small world after all, as both hail from Coshocton County. Prater was a second-team All-Ohio defensive tackle for Ridgewood High School before he became a Buckeye in 2021.
"It's nice to be here," Millbrook said. "The sports, to have fun with everybody, to talk with them and meet them. I do all kinds of sports."
When asked why she chooses to be an Ohio State fan, Millbrook said it's because of the talent the Buckeyes have year in and year out, which she believes includes players like Carrico, Mathews and Prater, among others.
"They're good," Millbrook said, her arm around Prater as she smiled from ear to ear. "They're good players. I like their spirit. I get excited watching them and hollerin' when they do the football games."
Ohio State offensive lineman Matt Jones – the most experienced player of the bunch both in years in the Buckeye football program and summers spent at the Special Skills Camp –said he was thankful to attend the event for the second consecutive year and third overall.
With each year passed, Jones took part in what Prater experienced on Thursday, moments surrounded by campers who will never forget the moment they met an Ohio State football player. Jones looked forward to that same opportunity in his final summer in Columbus.
"This is something I really enjoy every single year," Jones said. "These kids are smart. I like helping out and showing them the opportunities they have here to play sports. This is the motivation right here. We talk about this every year. It's something we like to do. We want to give back. To see these kids do these little drills and everything, it means a lot to us.
"This day means a lot, especially for my last year. To see these faces, everybody smiling. It means a lot. That's something I will have on my mind for the rest of the season. That's why I am happy to do this."
