Chase Blackburn holds 8th Annual Blackburn Chasing the Cure Youth Football Camp

Marysville alumni Chase Blackburn hosted his annual Blackburn Chasing the Cure Youth Football Camp with the point of emphasis on giving youngsters a better understanding of the game while also having fun.

Marysville alumni Chase Blackburn (black shirt) gathers camp youngsters inside Impact Stadium as campers get a five minute water break during the Blackburn Chasing the Cure Youth Football Camp.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Marysville’s Colton Powers, one of the guest instructors, said. “They like to be here, you can tell.”

There were around 125 campers at Marysville High School over the weekend with the camp starting Saturday morning. The event featured members of the Marysville Football program who helped instruct kids ages six to 13 years old.

Children were split into age groups and were given lessons in areas such as catching, throwing, footwork and position specific drills.

“Some kids are more advanced than others but it’s about enjoying the game as well as building confidence,” Blackburn told The Marysville Journal-Tribune. “That’s what we are trying to do in developing young players.”

Blackburn was a member of the Marysville Monarchs’ gridiron team where he was a member of the 2000 state final four team and was named first team all Ohio as a linebacker in both his junior and senior seasons. He then continued his football career at the University of Akron playing linebacker and defensive end.

He then turned his passion to the National Football League (NFL) where he became a member of the Giants’ Super Bowl XLII and XLVI teams. He proved to be a vital member when it came to special teams along with serving as a linebacker for the Big Blue.

Chase Blackburn (93) greets some fans at MetLife Stadium during his career with the Giants. (Photo courtesy of ESPN)

Blackburn then transitioned after his playing days becoming a special teams coach for the Carolina Panthers. The former Monarch now serves as an assistant special teams coach for the Tennessee Titans.

With a wealth of knowledge of the game and how it’s played, Blackburn is using his teachings to help younger minds understand the game. While he brought his intellect to the table, he also was joined by members of the current high school football program to assist in teaching the youth.

“I wasn’t just raised by my parents; it took a whole community,” Blackburn said. “That’s what is so great about Marysville — it takes so many people to have an impact.”

“I am not coaching especially kids this age,” Powers said. “But they’re loving it… I remember being this age and being able to coach them at this level, it’s fun for me.”

At the end of the day, Blackburn reiterated that the event is meant to promote the fun aspects of football and has been for its last eight iterations.

“It’s the next generation, that’s how I see it,” Powers said regarding his role in helping the youth understand the game. “I was there too… it’s big for our program as they develop into the high school Friday night lights eventually.”

Powers added that when he was younger, he looked up and admired the high schoolers who played the sport. Now as an upper classman, Powers noted how “humbled” he was to get an opportunity to assist in teaching the next generation of athletes.

Blackburn Chasing the Cure was established in November of 2012 as an LLC with its main goal of helping families battling cancer. It then transitioned to a 501(c)3 non-profit foundation in June of 2014.

“We were affected by it, as most people are,” Blackburn said. “We wanted to come up with a way to give back and help raise money.”

The foundation seeks to “ease the financial burden of families” so that they can care for their loved ones, according to the foundation’s website. Its annual events — 5K, youth football camp and celebrity golf scramble — has raised over $350,000 with funds going towards supporting families directly.

Thanks to grant funding, admission was free for those interested in learning more about football. Funding came from the NFL, USA Football, Memorial Sports and Honda Marysville along with other local entities, according to Blackburn.