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| Elton Brown |
“We’re just trying to make a difference.”
If there was a single sentence to describe the impetus behind forming his Shutdown Academy camp, Antoine Bethea could probably feel confident using this one. Bethea, a Denbigh High alumnus and long time safety with the Indianapolis Colts (2006-2013), and now San Francisco 49ers, has been involved with community service in the Hampton Roads region since being drafted into the NFL from Howard University in 2006.
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| 3-Time Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea |
Much of the work has come through his Operation 41 Foundation. But, there have been other football camps. In fact, just eight months ago, Bethea returned to the football field behind his high school alma mater in Newport News. And while more than 200 kids benefitted from the experience of working with Bethea and his football compatriots, he knew that there had to be a better way to enhance the holistic camp experience. Fortunately, Bethea had friends who would get together and collaborate to think of a way of maximizing the camp project.
“There are so many athletes in the area,” said Bethea, who will be visiting the Peninsula area next weekend to help prepare for the launching of Shutdown Academy, which will hold the football camp element of its program on March 26, from 10 AM – 2 PM at Denbigh High School. “We support each other on various things,” added the ten-year veteran, before mentioning fellow NFL players from the area who have worked at previous camps such as Elton Brown (Arizona/Hampton High), B. W. Webb (Tennessee/Warwick High), and Keion Carpenter (Buffalo/Atlanta). It was Carpenter’s idea that planted the seeds for Shutdown.
“It started a few years ago. We were at a camp in Canada – Elton, Keion, and I. We sat down and started talking about how much of an impact something like this could have on Newport News.”
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| B.W. Webb (#38 for the Tennessee Titans) |
Carpenter, who starred at Virginia Tech, before joining the NFL, was the first to put the plan into action, starting the first Shutdown Academy in Baltimore.
“He’s our guy,” said Bethea of Carpenter. “Keion is giving us the ropes.”
And while one of the ropes has to do with football, Bethea is quick to point out that there are several other aspects that are just as important.
“This is our introduction (as Shutdown) to the city,” said Bethea. “We will have a team and we will have five different age groups.”
And that is where the similarity to traditional camps and youth programs ends.
“But, this is bigger than football. If you want to be part of the camp, you’re going to have to do community service.”
There’s more. There are academic expectations and mentoring programs. In the long run, Shutdown Academy is about much more than football.
It’s more than a handful of professional football players can operate, and that is the whole idea. Community participation is the key, says Bethea.
“If we can come together (as players) there is so much we can do. But, it’s hard to get everybody home at one time. Hopefully, more guys can make it in the future, but this is bigger than me, bigger than Elton and bigger than Keion.”
How big? Due to a huge first wave of signups, the camp has now opened up 79 more camper slots, and is expecting as many as 600 young athletes, all between the ages of 5 and 14 to be in attendance on the 26th.
“It’s going to be a madhouse,” laughs Bethea, only half-jokingly. “But, the more, the merrier.”
And that’s where the community help comes in. Shutdown Academy is looking for football coaches and counselors, but is also seeking tutors, mentors, and anyone who is willing to enhance the community service piece of the Shutdown vision.
“If we can get kids, then we want to get parents,” he says. Shutdown Academy has an e-mail address (see below) where prespective volunteers can send a message with their name and which area of the program they would like to help with.
But getting back to football, one of Bethea’s former Colt teammates, Peyton Manning, recently retired, and the three-time Pro Bowler was asked about how the future Hall of Fame quarterback helped him with his own game.
“With Peyton, and Marvin Harrison (retired wide receiver and Hall of Famer), you see how they come to work, how they prepare, and put the grind in the classroom. He (Manning) could give you tips. You could ask him about a certain play and see how he played the strong safety in a certain situation. Picking his brain helped me with my growth (as a player).” With Manning and Harrison as teammates, the Colts defeated the Chicago Bears 29-17 to win Super Bowl XLI in February 2007, after Bethea’s rookie season.
There was another benefit to playing with the all-time leader in touchdowns and passing yards.
“One day in the future when my kids are watching something about him on TV, I can tell them, “Hey, he was my teammate!”
Another recent development with his 49er team has been the hiring of Chip Kelly as head coach. Kelly, who was fired by Philadelphia after the 2015 season, brings a fast-paced offense to the Bay Area, but also has been known for his stubbornness and inability to get along with his players and superiors.
Bethea is approaching the regime change with cautious optimism. “I don’t know yet. We’ll wait and see how things look. He (Kelly) was a great college coach and had a successful first year in Philly. I don’t know what ever happened after that. But I’ll wait and see how things coincide. Team wise, I am excited about the upcoming season.”
- Jim McGrath
Shutdown Academy will be held on Saturday, March 26th from 10 AM to 2 PM at Denbigh High School in Newport News, VA. For more information about the camp, please visit antoinebethea.com. If you are interested in volunteering as a coach, tutor or mentor, please e-mail your name, contact information, and position of interest to shutdownacademy757volunteers@gmail.com.
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