Chris Canty Foundation First Annual NYC Camp of Champions

New York Giants starting defensive lineman Chris Canty and his brother Joseph run a charity called the Chris Canty Foundation (CCF) that targets the youth in our communities on three levels, education, athletics, and community service.

The first Camp of Champions started in Charlotte, NC in 2007 attracting hundreds of today’s kids who want to improve their fundamental football skills at any level. This is a non-tackle, two-day camp where boys ages 8-16 work hard, with some great NFL coaching mentors, on improving their existing football skill level.

Chris has finally brought this camp home to NY where he grew up for the first annual NYC Camp of Champions. He did so with the dedicated help of the CCF members, great NYC sponsors such as Verizon, Police Athletic League, and United Way (to name just a few of the many), and his NFL friends who have taken a couple days to give their talents and motivation to these kids.

The day started off with Ted Bunch, who is a co-founder of A Call To Men, and runs the domestic violence accountability program of Safe Horizon, giving a “real” talk to these boys about respecting women on all levels. As Bunch stepped away from the microphone allowing his powerful voice to carry naturally to the hundreds of kids, he demanded their attention at 9AM sharp, giving an opening five-minute statement where questions were asked by Bunch, and responses were expected from the group as a whole.

On a hot late June day in NYC, these kids could not have been more excited to get out on the football field, ready to work and sweat. Water was plentiful as Chris, Michael Boley, Clint Sintim, other NYG and other NFL greats demanded nothing less than 110% effort from each kid.

Being a non-tackle camp, aside from advancing their skills in the game, safety comes first. Joseph Canty mentions, “ What do you expect from a guy with one of the best face masks in the NFL!? Chris I tell you is committed to safety in the NFL we grew up that way, we really focus on that. Not just in training but also in the equipment you wear. We wanted to make sure that these kids understood some of those clear principles about the sport too.”

Chris says, “If I have an ability to make a difference in these kids lives, then I have a responsibility to do it. We have these youngsters here and I can relate to when I was their age I would have died to have an NFL player to come out and coach me for a few hours. To have a chance to be able to do that with these kids has been awesome.”

Teammate Michael Boley stepped out for the day to help the kids, Chris, and the CCF. “The one thing I hope the kids get out of today is pretty much just work hard. You know everything that they do, whether it be in life or their spirits, just work hard. Just put your best foot forward.”

Clint Sintim, NYG linebacker and also Chris’s fellow Virginia alum, mentions “I was out at the camp the last two years in Charlotte, for him to bring it out here to get these kids in this type of area and bring them out to something that they may never experience otherwise, it’s a big thing. I think it really speaks to Chris’s character.”

The camp ran from 9AM-12PM with the hundreds of kids all wearing their blue breathable Chris Canty Camp of Champions T-shirt. The passion and dedication from Chris and Joseph and the whole foundation, as well as the sponsors and NFL mentors and coaches that participated, was contagious. Chris and co. care so much, and the foundations’ programs are just getting bigger and more well known because of their excitement of enriching the kids in life and football.

I could tell the kids were having a blast; their energy was contagious as well, which makes for an all-around amazing experience for everyone involved. I was getting sucked into the positive energy it made me want to jump out on the field and participate!

The CCF is always finding ways to give back, so stayed tuned for their next adventure!