So, it was no surprise that toward the end of his Third Annual Will Anderson Football Camp, held at his alma mater, Dutchtown High School, for the second year, the battle between the young men, with aspirations of playing in the NFL one day as either an offensive or defensive lineman, became very intense.
Rep after rep, they lined up against each other, hoping to win the clash and not only impress their parents in the stands but also Anderson, who often stepped in with tips on perfecting their craft on both sides of the ball.
Young Samuel Creasy watched as the high-energy one-on-one matchups unfolded right in front of him.
Many of the camp participants in his group were older than he was, and at one point, the battles were so intense that many campers had to be held back from the action.
Yes, it was that passionate, but what else would you expect from anything that Anderson is involved in?
Creasy stepped up, ready to display his skill set that he had been working on with his dad, James, in his spare time.
His opponent came to the line of scrimmage as well, weighing at least 25 pounds more than Creasy.
Once the ball was snapped, Creasy could not overpower his opponent, and he lost the battle, which immediately brought him to tears.
Even though it was just one rep at a football camp, Creasy did not want to lose, and the tears rolling down his face were from disappointment in himself.
“He really is competitive and hates to lose,” said James Creasy about his son.
Déjà Vu
One person who knew exactly how Sam felt in that moment was none other than Anderson, who rushed over to him with words of encouragement.
“When you step on the field, remember this feeling,” Anderson said to an emotional Creasy.
The words of affirmation given to the young camper were all too familiar to Anderson, who had once been in the same situation as Creasy, having been dominated early on in Pop Warner football by kids twice his age and weight, as he had played one to two levels above his age group since the age of five.
It was also a surreal moment for Anderson’s youth league coach, Dwight Banks (Riverdale Blackhawks), who was there to witness the same words he used to encourage Anderson being used to inspire someone else.
“When you look at him, he is a freakish athlete, but he is even a greater person, an even better human being,” said Banks about Anderson. “He has the largest heart in the world.”
That giving heart is what brings Anderson back to Hampton, Georgia, every year since his rookie season in the NFL to host an annual football camp through his Will Anderson Jr. Foundation.
Growing up, his mother, Tereon, and father, Will Anderson Sr., had to travel more than an hour for Anderson to attend camps to hone his skills.
“It’s an honor and a blessing to see him give back,” said Anderson’s older sister Shanice, who coordinates the camp’s activities. “It is something that our parents instilled in us at an early age. We had to travel a lot for Will to go to camp, so to see him recognize that other young football players in our hometown want to be like him, he wanted to be able to offer the same training to them without the inconvenience to their parents. I think it is a huge blessing.”
Building The Next Generation
As the camp concluded, Anderson, the third overall pick by the Houston Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft, brought Creasy to the front of the group to speak about his determination never to give up and to continue pushing through the camp despite the adversity he had experienced.
The former two-time unanimous All-American and two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year from the University of Alabama spoke about how he overcame his own struggles at Creasy’s age and how he uses them to fuel him every time he steps on the field.
As Anderson spoke, Creasy’s parents, moved by what was taking place, listened intently to the encouragement he offered their son.
“Will has no idea how much that means to us as a family,” said James Creasy. “We will never forget this. That young man (Anderson) is truly gifted on the field, but an even better human being off the field. We can’t wait to see him again next year.”