Kids mix with pros at Windsor football camp

Dallas Cowboys’ Tyrone Crawford enlists some friends for event in his hometown

Angelo Romanello buried his hands in his pockets and bounced slightly on the balls of his feet to keep warm Saturday morning as he waited to run an agility drill at the University of Windsor’s Alumni Field.

Despite the chill in the air, the 12-year-old from LaSalle was excited to take part in the fifth annual Windsor’s Finest Football Academy and NFL Play 60 program. “It’s really cool,” Romanello said of the experience, not the temperature. “These guys come here from Texas to teach us. They play at the highest level so this is the best training you can get.” Romanello was one of approximately 300 kids soaking in every word of instruction doled out by professional players from the National Football League and the Canadian Football League.

The daylong camp for players aged seven to 19, was founded and run by Windsor native Tyrone Crawford, a starting defensive end for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, and his cousin Daryl Townsend, a defensive back for the Montreal Alouettes.

Together, they recruited an impressive collection of coaching talent that included Crawford’s Dallas teammates DeMarcus Lawrence, Tyron Smith and Maliek Collins, and LaSalle native and new member of the Detroit Lions, Luke Willson.

Dallas receiver Dez Bryant was scheduled to participate but he had travel issues and didn’t make it. Lawrence was making his third

appearance at Windsor’s camp. “Tyrone is one of my closest friends on the (Cowboys). I’d do anything to help him out,” Lawrence said in explaining how he gets lured to Canada in April. “I’m from South Carolina so we would be on a lake back home. I’m not used to all this cold.” Lawrence described working with the kids as “a blessing.” “I never had these types of camps when I was a kid,” he said. “To see the smiles on their faces is special. Besides, we’re all just big kids ourselves. We get to run around and do what we do. We wanted to be professionals all of our lives so we get to come here and show them the right way.”

Arjen Colquhoun, a Herman graduate and now defensive back for the Edmonton Eskimos, was taking part in his first camp for Crawford.

“I’ve known Tyrone and Daryl my whole life,” said Colquhoun, who played NCAA football for Michigan State. “This is a good cause to help the kids out so they can realize their potential. I want to give some of my knowledge back. I didn’t see a guy from the NFL until I was at Michigan State. This camp lets them know it’s possible. “