The Cleveland Browns hosted their annual party for over 800 Special Olympic student-athletes Thursday , February 19 in the Casey Coleman Field House at the Cleveland Browns Training and Administrative Complex in Berea, Ohio.
The event gave a number of student-athletes from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District a chance to see a behind-the-scenes look at the Browns training facility, to participate in football drills on the practice field and to meet former and current Browns players.
Participants enjoyed six different activity stations that were patrolled by volunteers from the John Carroll, Baldwin Wallace and Case Western football programs. There was a passing station with targets to aim for, a field goal kicking station, a pass-catching station, a dance area and a line into the lunchroom. The final station gave the children an opportunity to get autographs from Browns alumni including Aaron Shea, Greg Pruitt and Kevin Mack.
A handful of current Browns players joined in the festivities as Brady Quinn, Richard Bartel, Paul Hubbard, Hank Fraley and Eric Steinbach all came out to help run the drills, take pictures and sign autographs.
"I was having a great time," said Quinn. "Obviously, it's a great cause and a great opportunity for us to be out here and kind of allow some kids that may be a little less fortunate to be able to do what we do."
Quinn noted that as an Ohio native, the event had more meaning for him as he was able to give back to his home community.
"It's huge. I am from Ohio, I am an Ohio guy and Cleveland is my home. I want to do the best I can to try to help out, whoever it is, wherever there are needs in Cleveland."
Quinn opted to help out with the field goal kicking station, teeing up balls for a growing line of fans and celebrating with those who were able to put their attempts through the uprights. Fraley and Hubbard hovered around the passing station, helping retrieve balls and giving advice to student-athletes trying to slot the balls through the target holes. Steinbach and Bartel made stops at all the stations, high-fiving kids as they ran by and signing autographs as well.
"This is a great opportunity for us players to come and help out," said Steinbach. "They've done a great job rounding up a lot of kids here. This place is packed, they've got the DJ playing the tunes. It just looks like everyone is having a great time."
"It's a great moment for us as players to give back to the community and to these kids," added Fraley. "They're putting smiles on our face and we're trying to put a smile on their face and just have fun with them and reach out to them."
The event helped promote activity in young people, one of the cornerstone beliefs of the Cleveland Browns Play 60 campaign. The Cleveland Browns Play 60 program is in association with Cleveland Clinic, 3-a-Day of Dairy and Medical Mutual of Ohio. For this particular event, 3-a-Day of Dairy provided milk for each of the athletes, as well as ‘REFUEL' wristbands.
The event also allowed the Browns to show their support of the Special Olympics in the greater Cleveland area and for the student-athletes to have a unique opportunity to participate in football activities with former and current Browns greats.
"I had a great time out here but hopefully the kids had a better time," said Quinn. "That's the whole goal."
