Chiefs wide receivers hosting youth camp Saturday in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Several of the top wide receivers on the Kansas City Chiefs are hosting a youth football camp Saturday morning in Kansas City.

And while the Chiefs players headline the event, it’s about a lot more than football.

“We have an opportunity to meet professional football players who will have the opportunity to share their experiences in life to make these kids better,” said Pat Clarke, Oak Park Neighborhood Association President.

Melesa Johnson, Kansas City’s Director of Public Safety, played multiple sports growing up in Kansas City. The Bishop Miege graduate played multiple sports for the Stags and ran track at Columbia University. She says area kids can learn a lot from playing sports.

“You need to know the value of hard work,” Johnson said. “You need to know discipline. One of the biggest things that I learned at an early age through youth sports is that your input equals your output.”

The Chiefs event will be held at the Central High School football field in the Oak Park neighborhood, the area that both Clarke and Johnson grew up.

“Oak Park is one of the leading neighborhoods when it comes to violence,” Clarke said.

Johnson said the community continues to see young people as victims of violence. The football camp aims to give those young people a chance to take part in safe summer activities.

“We have to provide positive outlets for them to experience greater horizons,” Johnson said.

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