Buccaneers Academies provide educational programming and state-of-the-art resources to 24 schools in the Tampa Bay area, with a focus in underserved communities.
Jameis Winston, the Buccaneers play caller who also serves as the "Quarterback of Buccaneers Academies" helped welcome over 100 students from Buccaneers Academies for a back-to-school Play Football Clinic hosted by the Buccaneers. The participating youth included students from Buccaneers Academies- a program that provides year-round support to 16,000 students and 2,200 teachers at elementary schools in the Tampa Bay area.
The kids arrived at the team training facility, One Buccaneer Place, to a busy itinerary. First stop, a stroll through the Buccaneers lobby where they got an opportunity to view the Super Bowl trophy along with the Moment of Victory statue before hitting the team auditorium for a pep rally with Captain Fear and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders. "Cupid shuffle", freeze dance and a cheer performance thrilled the kids as they anxiously prepared to hit the practice fields.
As the final horn sounded, bringing this morning's practice session to an end, the players ran over to greet the students with excitement despite spending the previous 2 hours in over 90-degree weather. "It's a brand-new energy rush coming from practice to the drill stations with the kids. It's special to me to have them at our training camp for an experience of a lifetime as the quarterback of Buccaneers Academies."
"We want to inspire all the kids and give a great kick-off to the school year," Co-President of the Glazer Family Foundation, Darcie Glazer Kassewitz said during Play Football clinic. "These kids are our future and we're working towards a phenomenal future here in Tampa every single day."
Winston, Bucs host students from Buccaneers Academies for back-to-school Play Football Clinic.
As the students ran from drill station to drill station they were joined by Jameis Winston, Kwon Alexander, Doug Martin, George Johnson and a host of other teammates all looking to play like a kid again! "We are grateful that the players have embraced our kids," says Jeff Eakins, Superintendent of Hillsborough County Schools who joined the students for the back-to-school event today. "The programming of the Buccaneers Academies creates a great system of support for our students. It helps them feel great about themselves but also encourages them to learn and have fun doing it."
Buccaneers Academies Play Football Clinic was a day full of excitement and a great send-off as kids head back to the classroom. As the clinic came to a close, Winston huddled up with the students as their quarterback and called the play. "Let's start this year off right!" Winston said. "Bucs Academy on 3! Good luck in school."
Buccaneers Academy remains a cornerstone promise from the Buccaneers and the Glazer Family and demonstrates the long-term commitment to the Tampa Bay community and its future leaders.
To learn more about Buccaneers Academies, click HERE
