Honoring their late sons, Anchorpoint coaches pass down
football, life and family values at the ninth annual week-long
Myles Brinson/JR Adams Fundamental Football Camp, which is set to
kickoff Monday.
Sometimes, more is learned by what is taught off the field than what is done on the gridiron.
The ninth annual week-long Myles Brinson/JR Adams Fundamental Football Camp is set to kickoff Monday.
From the outside looking in, the camp is no different than any other. Offensive and defensive drills, whistles, running and throwing.
But at second glance, what is being taught on the field reaches beyond the basic “x’s and o’s” of football. The curriculum touches on lessons of life, faith and family, too.
It is always beneficial to any team, and the community that team is based, to have a coaching staff that enjoys logging the hours necessary to impact the players they lead.
At Anchorpoint Christian, KC Adams and Marlowe Brinson bring a no-nonsense approach to the Warriors 8-man football team, leading it to become one of the best squads in the state after just three seasons in existence.
But beyond their demands for top-notch effort, their coaching foundations are based on the ideas of family and community values.
“We always have the concept of family values. That was the No. 1 priority of having the camp,” Brinson said. “Family is the key to life. With that, we formed the camp. God is first, family is second and football is third. It’s not about football, it is about the principles of life. That’s what we want to teach these kids.”
Both men, longtime fixtures in the local Pop Warner circle – who refer to each other as brothers even though there is no blood relation – were brought together by family tragedy and have turned heartache into an opportunity to teach.
“That’s when character comes into hand. We talk a a lot about character and understanding that life isn’t going to be perfect,” Adams said. “We try to speak to that it’s not a boring thing to be on the straight and narrow. You can actually accomplish a lot more.”
Brinson’s son, Myles, died at the age of 8 after complications with leukemia in May of 2002. Two months later, Brinson and Adams organized the Myles Brinson Football Camp.
“KC surprised me with that,” Brinson recalled. “Up until then the camp didn’t have a name.”
Three years later, a hit-and-run car accident claimed the life of 17-year-old JR Adams, cutting short a promising future and football career.
“He was a special player,” Brinson said.
Aside from a deep underlying passion for football, Adams said his main motivation for holding the camp each year is his deceased nephew Myles.
“I’m motivated by how he fought,” Adams said. “If you had known him, he would have motivated you. I’m inspired by that.”
Last year’s camp attracted about 150 kids, a number that Brinson said he thought they’d never reach.
“That is a blessing,” Brinson said.
With the popularity of the camp growing annually, Adams said some “upgrades” to the format have been added to give attendees a real chance to improve their skills.
“We are adding a whole lot of new drills and combine things,” Adams said. “We are still keeping the fundamentals part but adding some new techniques. It’s exciting.”
This year’s edition will be held from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. beginning Monday
“Tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone,” Brinson said. “One of the basic principles is to lead by example and appreciate your family. I don’t believe in friends. If I know you, you are apart of my family. Friends will come and go but family will always be with you through thick and thin.”
