Marlowe Brinson works out with campers Wednesday during the 3rd Annual Myles Brinson Fundamental Football Camp at Gilroy High School.

Photo by: Max Morse/Staff Photographer

Up front from left, Ashley, Sherida and Marcel Brinson, Quillan McJunkin, Kristopher Dipko, Sebrina Adams, in back from left, Marlowe Brinson, Kaia, KC and Liz Adams.

Photo by: Chris Riley/Chief Photographer

Angelina Laura bear crawls through a drill during Thursday’s Myles Brinson Football Camp at Gilroy High School.

Photo by: Chris Riley/Chief Photographer

KC Adams addresses the campers during Wednesday’s session at Gilroy High School.

Photo by: Max Morse/Staff Photographer

 

GILROY - In the swarm of youngsters all wearing white camp T-shirts at the Myles Brinson Fundamental Football Camp at Gilroy High School, there are only a few wearing blue ones.

That's because these special campers are recipients of the Bad Dude Award, which is given out to four individuals each day of the week-long camp who stand out above the rest.

"It makes you feel like you're the leaders," said 10-year-old Marcel Brinson, of wearing the blue Bad Dude shirt that he received on Tuesday. "I got it because I work hard and never give up."

The annual football camp, which is named after Marcel's brother, Myles, who was lost to leukemia three years ago, got newly designed shirts for its third season.

On the front, there is the number 34 inside of a football with the name of the camp. On the back, is the saying, 'Bad Dude ... You ain't lieing." Every camper gets them in white, only a select few get the blue.

"Number 34 is (Myles) number. Shaq was his favorite player. He loved the Lakers and he loved Shaq," said Sherida Brinson, who organized the camp in her son's name with her husband, Marlowe, and other family and friends. "We wanted everyone to know that was Myles number."

The saying on the back is something that Marlowe would tell his son Myles when he was going through intense treatments for his cancer. Dad would say, "You a bad dude," and Myles would reply, "You ain't lieing."

"It's all because of him. It's Myles camp, not ours. He's in charge. We're not in charge," said Marlowe, who heads up the coaching with his brother, KC Adams, and a host of volunteers. "This year is the third year, but to me it seems like the first year. ... We miss him and love him every day."

But for two and a half hours a day this past week, Marlowe and his extended family of relatives and friends smile and laugh as they teach local youngsters not only the fundamentals of football, but also life lessons.

"We look forward to it," said Sherida, who admits it has not been easy without Myles. "Sometimes it saddens me that he's not here, especially when Marcel plays in any organized sport not just football, but basketball and baseball. It's hard."

The camp keeps the Myles Brinson name alive and his spirit watches over as area youngsters get a chance to learn football, which he always wanted to play, but never got the opportunity.

"I look forward to the camp every year. This year was a little better than the last two years because there were a lot of old campers who came back. It was great to see them," 14-year-old Ashley Brinson said. "I like playing around with my dad (Marlowe) and my brother (Marcel), but I do it because that was my brother (Myles) and I do it because of him."

Along with Marlowe Brinson and KC Adams, the volunteer coaches who came out this year to lend a hand were Mike Alanzo, Leighton Lang, Greg Garcia, Tony Solorio, Tom Crivelo, Greg Woodson, Coe Wilson, and Juan Rios.

"I learn the fundamentals and that everybody is family out here, not just friends," said Kris Dipko, who was a friend of Myles ever since kindergarten and now plays with the Gilroy Browns' Pop Warner Pee Wees.

"For me, as the years go on, I learn a little more about Myles," said his cousin, Quillan McJunkin, who has participated in the camp since its beginning. "His dream was to come out here and do this stuff and we are."

Campers move from station to station learning the basics of every position on a football team. Coaches give positive feedback as they instruct the campers. When a whistle is blown, the campers take a break - some treated to Gatorade in the Bad Dude Area and others getting water - and then they move to the next station. Between each drill, the campers chant, "1,2,3, Myles."

"If you can't catch on Monday, you'll be able to catch on Friday," KC Adams said. "But more than anything, the camp teaches them about life. Football is a part of life and we teach them to be better human beings."

Each day, the camp brings in a guest speaker to talk to the kids about different issues. A child life specialist from Kaiser Permanente came on Monday; a drug awareness officer from DARE came on Tuesday; a police officer came on Wednesday; Marlowe spoke on Thursday; and former NFL player Mark Collins flew in to speak on Friday.

"It's more than just football. The camp teaches kids a lot of stuff besides that, stuff that's important to kids," said Liz Adams, whose two children, Sebrina and Quillan, are campers. "Every year, it just gets better and more organized out here. The kids are so motivated."

A new addition to this year's camp is group and individual action photos are available. Cornell Williams, a relative of the Brinsons, and Alejandro Lawrence, take pictures during the camp.

"They get the pictures the next day, so they will always have a memory," Sherida said. "They can look back when they are adults and remember when they went to this camp every year and it made a difference in their career path."

This year's camp was sponsored by the San Jose Sabercatz, San Jose Grocery Outlet, Kutz & Colors, Citywide Properties, California Silk Screening, Togo's, Sunflower Sales, First Federal Mortgage Bank, and the Embroidery Store.