Packers Linebacker Ty Summers Shares Words of Wisdom from His Youth Camp

Welcome to Why We Play, a series of discussions with current players and NFL Legends about their youth football experience and why they play the game.

When Green Bay Packers linebacker Ty Summers was asked to host a summer football camp for kids in his hometown of San Antonio, he couldn't say yes fast enough.

"I’m all about helping kids anywhere, but San Antonio, that's where my roots are," Summers said. "That makes it even extra special. Working with kids that are going into the high school I went to, or others from the surrounding area, it’s just a great feeling."

Summers starred at Reagan High School in northeast San Antonio, earning All-District honors and a scholarship to Texas Christian University. He was drafted by the Packers in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. 

Summers hosted the camp for the third time on July 2 of this year. The camp, which is free to the attendees, is held at Reagan High School. Participants range from elementary school students all the way up to high school players.

"We break them up by ages," Summers said. We have the older kids run some good drills. The younger ones, we're teaching a little and just want them to have fun.

"The older kids will come to me and ask me if they’e doing something wrong, or how they can do something better. I try to give them as much advice as I can."

Summer's first camp in 2020 was hindered by COVID-19 and was done mostly virtually. But in 2021, at his first in-person camp, over 200 San Antonio kids showed up.

"It gets pretty hot in Texas in July," Summers said. “Last year was really hot, and I was into it. I was just drenched in sweat and the kids were having a great time. It was a lot of fun."

Summers is entering his fourth season with the Packers. He's played in 46 of a possible 49 games through his first three seasons as a key special teams cog for Green Bay. 

He said he starts off each camp by sharing a message with his campers. 

"We tell them, 'We’re going to find a way for each one of you to get better,'" he said. "Each one of them has a goal, whether it's to play in the NFL, or play somewhere, or else they wouldn’t be out here on a hot day.

"So I tell them, 'We’re all here for a reason, so let’s make the most of it, compete and have fun. Set your goals and be realistic and you have any questions just ask.' I just want to get them excited about playing football, especially the younger ones."

Photo: AP/Todd Rosenberg