NORFOLK, Va. — A sold out youth football camp and packed bleachers of parents and fans watching - all there to see Taylor Heinicke.
"It's still new to me. I'm still trying to get used to this because I never thought this would be the way it would be growing up," Heinicke said on realizing the hundreds of kids in attendance.
Before his days as Old Dominion's starting signal caller, and before he received Player of the Year honors out of high school, Heinicke was just a kid, too.
"I was a kid that went to these camps and I was impacted by the people that were there so for me to be in that situation now. It's kind of surreal, but its a cool thing."
Heinicke hopes to be that inspirational figure to young athletes in Hampton Roads. He returned to his old stomping ground on Saturday to host his 9th annual youth football camp where boys and girls grades 2 to 8 gathered at Norfolk Christian bright and early, kicking off Memorial Day weekend learning from a local legend.
Beyond teaching the fundamentals, campers go through drills and competitions. Plus - Heinicke meets with kids individually signing autographs and taking pictures.
"When I talked to them a little earlier, I told them when I go to practice everyday, I work on one thing to get better at. So if they just get one percent better today, they're going to leave this field a better football player."
Heinicke has signed with the Atlanta Falcons and expects to suit up with them this fall.