Cowboys Host Play 60 Football Clinic At Local Elementary; Part Of NFL/United Way Hometown Huddle

Arlington, Texas—Dallas Cowboys players led a Play 60 Football Clinic for fifth graders at Short Elementary School in Arlington Tuesday as part of the NFL and United Way’s 14th annual Hometown Huddle project.

Before the kiddos hit the field for a variety of drills and exercises, cornerback Brandon Carr, speaking on behalf of the team, addressed the distressing epidemic of childhood obesity in the country. He introduced the team’s dietician and Fuel Up to Play 60 nutritionist Amy Goodson, who left the students with three pieces of advice: start each day with a good breakfast, eat as many fruits and veggies as possible and hydrate throughout the day with lots of water.

Tuesday’s event included a check presentation from Gene and Jerry Jones Family Charities for a $2,500 grant to YMCA Arlington to continue its CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Child Health) program at Short Elementary. A second $2,500 grant was awarded to Dallas’s Central Elementary for its continued participation in The Cooper Institute’s Healthy Zone School Recognition Program.

On site with the Cowboys Tuesday was also Jennifer Sampson, president and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, and Tim McKinney, president and CEO of United Way of Tarrant County, as well as Marcelo Cavazos, Arlington School District’s interim superintendent. United Way brings together and supports a massive network of community-based organizations and through them calls people to give, advocate and volunteer, specifically in the key areas of improving education, income and health of people all over the world.

Joining Carr from the Cowboys team was Ben Bass, Dez Bryant, Rob Callaway, Tyrone Crawford, Orlando Scandrick and Kyle Wilber. Carr will continue his work with United Way through his role as the Cowboys’ representative on United Way’s Team NFL. Team NFL is comprised of representatives from all 32 NFL clubs, whose mission is to keep kids in school and lower the dropout rate nationwide by recruiting local volunteers to read, tutor or mentor students. Click here to learn more about volunteering with Team Carr: http://www.unitedway.org/team-nfl/players/brandon-carr/.