Former 49ers stars Steve Young and Jerry Rice are working together to inspire young girls to participate in sports, hosting a girls flag football camp at Jesuit High School
CARMICHAEL, Calif. —
San Francisco legends Steve Young and Jerry Rice team up to promote girls’ participation in sports, hosting a flag football camp at Jesuit High School in Carmichael.
The Steve Young and Jerry Rice Girls Flag Football Camp is put on in partnership with Sutter Health and Young’s Forever Young Foundation.
“You know, this is all about giving back to the community. Sutter Health is a not-for-profit. Forever Young Foundation [is] not-for-profit. Steve Young and us have really come together,” said Warner Thomas, President and CEO of Sutter Health.
Young and Rice helped the campers, girls ages 7-14, through drills as they tried to teach them about the game of football.
“First of all, it’s fun for Jerry and I to be together. We’ve been friends for a long time. We raised a lot of money for good causes, and we have 8 to 80 zones that we’ve been doing for a long time in technology, and now we’re leveling the playing field for girls, like literally on the playing field and give girls a chance to play,” said Young, 49ers legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback.
“Just the opportunity to have that togetherness and compete. They’re much tougher than boys. They already got the advantage there,” Rice, 49ers legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver, joked. “But you know just to be a part of it. And then we get a chance to team up again to it. So cool.”
The girls in attendance went from station to station doing different football drills with the Hall of Famers jumping in and out of drills. They also shared stories from their time in the NFL with the 49ers. The guys get immediate feedback.
“Just their eyes, how they just light up and stuff like that, you know? You know, if they make a catch or do something really good and you encourage them, they get excited about that,” said Rice.
“It’s so exciting. I have an early history of football. My dad refereed Big Ten college football. So growing up we played football together in the backyard. I was a swimmer by trade and that’s how I got into sports early. And it’s amazing to see an opportunity like this to get young girls involved and not just football, but just motivated to participate in sports,” said Dr. Shannon Goode, Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician with Sutter Health. “We know most girls at the age of 14 leave sports, and so it’s crucial that we get them involved early to build strong bodies, good mental health and confidence. So this is just amazing.”
Young is glad to give back this way in a sport that is constantly growing.
“Through doing this with Jerry, it feels like I’ve had hundreds of women come to me and say,’ I wish it was around when I was in high school, when I was a kid’. Well, now it is and it’s taken some time, but it’s now happening,” said Young. “It’s the fastest growing sport in America for a good reason, because football is cool and girls now get a chance at it.”
“We’re doing this all over Northern California. We’re great being here in Sacramento today, but you’re going to see a lot more of the sunset to help in the future,” Thomas said.
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