FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. – Approximately 135 military kids here had the unique opportunity to train with an Arizona Cardinal wide receiver during a two-day youth football camp July 12-13 at Bujalski Field.
The event, hosted by the Army & Air Force Exchange Service and the Defense Commissary Agency, was one of several hosted at military installations this year.
Col. Michael Childs, garrison commander, welcomed parents, children and members of Team Huachuca to the free, youth football camp during opening remarks.
“I’d like to personally recognize the individuals that made this possible,” he said, thanking the Exchange and Commissary teams along with the commercial sponsors. “Who better to lead our football camp than Michael Wilson who started in 12 of 13 games during his rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals.”
Marne Gulde, Exchange general manager, said she hoped the weekend takeaways would include, “comradery, community, family and a better understanding of what military [children] go through.”
Wilson, who was selected as the 84th pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft, completed three touchdowns making him the third player in Cardinal history to have multiple touchdowns during his rookie season. Wilson also has a master’s degree in communication and media studies from Stanford University and, a bachelor’s degree in management science and engineering, finance and decision.
The camp consisted of Wilson, ProCamps staff and other local volunteer coaches teaching the basics of football. The young athletes ran through solo and team drills and finished with certificates and autographed pictures.
“I’ve never been to a military base before,” Wilson said describing what it meant to him to work with the military youth.” I like working with young kids. I love their purity and [they] just have so much unrealized potential.”
Wilson said he wanted the kids to take away “fun…and inspiration and knowing that if they dedicate their life to and work the hardest they can … achieve the highest of whatever career or passion they choose.
“[I’m] just thankful… I'm in the position, have the opportunity, you know, to put on a football camp and have young kids wake up excited to work with me,” he said reflecting on the gratitude he felt for the service of those in the military and the sacrifices their family makes. “I think that's, you know, I'll never lose that. I think it's amazing.”
(Editor's note: Complete photo album available at 2024-07-12 Michael Wilson Football Camp | Flickr.)
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Fort Huachuca is home to the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command/9th Army Signal Command and more than 48 supported tenants representing a diverse, multiservice population. Our unique environment encompasses 946 square miles of restricted airspace and 2,500 square miles of protected electronic ranges, key components to the national defense mission.
Located in Cochise County, in southeast Arizona, about 15 miles north of the border with Mexico, Fort Huachuca is an Army installation with a rich frontier history. Established in 1877, the Fort was declared a national landmark in 1976.
We are the Army’s Home. Learn more at https://home.army.mil/huachuca/.
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