NFL Stars, Southern Regional HS alumni from Manahawkin return home to speak with youth
Always remember your roots.
No matter where you go or what you do, remember who helped get you there and where you came from.
It's a humbling lesson we all learn in our lives, hopefully at a young age, because the name at the end of the letterhead or back of the jersey is more important than the first name and the team you play for more than the name on the back of the jersey.
More so than that though, is the person, people and community who helped get you from where you were as an aspiring youth to the adult you are today.
Miami Dolphins star Tight-End Mike Gesicki and Cincinnati Bengals Long-Snapper Clark Harris, both from Manahawkin, haven't forgotten their roots and this past week showed why they're just all around good guys.
Gesicki and Harris were back home for a couple reasons showing up in a couple places.
The two Southern Regional High School graduates came back to where it all started to help potential future NFL stars develop their skill sets and mindsets.
On Day One of the Southern Regional Youth Football Camp, Gesicki, spoke to campers according to Southern Regional High School Supervisor of Athletics Chuck Donohue Jr. and the 2014 SRHS graduate was excited to be able to give back.
Gesicki said on Twitter last Sunday that, he was "looking forward to stopping by @SRRamsfootball camp tomorrow night to talk to the fellas!"
He earned 12 varsity letters in football, basketball and volleyball while playing for the Rams before having a standout college football career at Penn State which caught the attention of many NFL teams including the Miami Dolphins who selected him in the 2018 NFL Draft and he has become one of the elite tight-ends in the NFL over his first couple seasons.
On Day Two of the Southern Regional Youth Football Camp, 2002 SRHS graduate Clark Harris, who went on to play at Rutgers, spoke to campers about "the importance of playing multiple sports and being coachable" Donohue Jr. said on Twitter.
Following a couple days of speaking with future football stars, Gesicki was also spotted meeting with Stafford Police who had stopped by a lemonade stand in the community.
Stafford Police said the girl behind the stand, Cecily, was raising money for CHOP and has collected more than $950 to be able to donate to charity.
It was a good week for the Manahawkin and Stafford communities as Gesicki and Harris came back home.
"Love that these NFL stars take the time to come back to their hometowns to give back and speak life into our kids. Great job by all!," Stafford Police said in a statement.