U of L football 'bring smiles' to kids' faces

After a successful season on the gridiron, University of Louisville football coach Charlie Strong and his players were giving back over the weekend. The Cardinals put a smile on a bunch of little faces as Strong hosted the “We Are Strong Camp” for kids from Kosair Children's Hospital and Down Syndrome of Louisville on Saturday. Cardinal Authority was in attendance and has a story and photos:

University of Louisville wide receiver Michaelee Harris made a new friend on Saturday at Charlie Strong’s “We Are Strong Camp” for kids from Kosair Children’s Hospital and Down Syndrome of Louisville at the Trager Center.

Harris was excited to hang out with his new friend – Charlie – and was even more pumped up to make his new buddy smile.

”We try and have so much fun here,” Harris said. “We want to make it their best time ever. A lot of kids don’t ever get the chance to play ball.”

So for the second year in a row, Strong and his players give the kids something to get excited about – at least for a few hours.

”We think we have a battle, but we have no battle compared to what they have,” Strong said of the kids. “It means so much and . . . we want make sure we are giving back to the community and they have a chance to come out here and pick up kids and play with them and see what they battle everyday. “

The U of L coaches organize drills and games for the kids to participate in – with the help of the current Louisville players. There were sack races when U of L linemen Jamon Brown picked up his buddy and helped her finish.

The kids did some running and other ‘fun’ drills with players chasing after them or helping them through the process. There was a station where kids attempted to throw the ball into a net, which U of L players were moving to make sure each kid had a chance to hit the net – and made them smile.

”This is a lot of fun to see them,” Harris said.

The kids hung out and took photos with the players in between drills, had pizza when the camp was over and even participated in making a Harlem Shake video with the Sugar Bowl champion Cardinals.

”It’s a fun time of the year and it’s a chance for us to get all the kids and bring them together and get them around our players,” Strong said. “We’re able to have a lot of fun with them, play a lot of games. What you learn is they have so much fight in them and they teach you so much about life.

”Watching them have the fun they had today, just brings a smile to your face.”

Here are a few photos from the day: