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Thigpen hosts football camp

By Justin Felder - bio | email

CONWAY, SC (WMBF) - Coastal Carolina alum Tyler Thigpen is used to firsts.  He was the first draft pick out of the Big South Conference.  He's made his first start under center in the NFL.  Now, he hosted his first football camp, designed to get kids their first step on the path to success.

"Obviously talking football, but talking life as well," said the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Thigpen.

That's a big part of the camp, which was hosted at Coastal Carolina.  As much as they work on footwork and passing skills, Thigpen wants the players to focus on leading a good life.

"It wasn't something I had growing up," said Thigpen.  "To work with an NFL quarterback, college coaches, it's nice to give back to these kids - to give them something I didn't have growing up."

Players came from all over the Southeast to attend the camp.  A handful of local players came, including Xavier Adams, a rising freshman at Marlboro County High School.  The young Adams had to get used to working with someone who plays on national television on Sundays.

"I was nervous a little bit," said Adams.  "Once I got started, I was alright."

That's understandable to Thigpen.  He takes a hands-on but laid back approach to working with the campers.  While you'll see him correcting nuances in someone's form one moment, the next he's challenging kids to a race to the next drill.

Loser does 10 push-ups, of course.

"I'm not trying to walk around here and talk down to them," said Thigpen.  "I'm getting on their level and communicating with them, that way they can get the experience out of it and take something home from this."

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