Tulsa World: Reaching kids through sports

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Reaching kids through sports

Madison Ward, 8, gets an autograph from Josh Heupel last week. The former Sooners quarterback hosted a free three-day camp in Sand Springs. ARAM BOGHOSIAN/Tulsa World

By MATT LEVIN World Sports Writer
Published: 7/23/2008 2:05 AM
Last Modified: 7/23/2008 2:26 AM

A former OU quarterback gives back

Cindy Heupel recalled her son Josh, at age 7, already having his two goals figured out.

Josh Heupel declared from the back seat of his family's car that he wanted to be a football star, and he wanted to give back to those less fortunate than him.

He checked that first objective off his list by leading the Oklahoma Sooners to a national title in 2000. The fame he earned through that championship kick started his other goal.

What started as Thanksgiving food drives when OU started garnering major media coverage during Heupel's junior season has turned into the 14 Foundation.

The foundation, bearing the quarterback's college number, hosted a free three-day camp last week in Sand Springs for children ages 10 through 16. The program focused on both fitness and academics and attracted hundreds of children.

"The whole thing is about reaching young kids," said Heupel, currently the quarterbacks coach at OU. "Kids that otherwise wouldn't have an opportunity to experience some things, which open their eyes — helps them dream about accomplishing things."

The camp offered spots to 150 male and female students from the area. For the boys, the fitness side focused on football while the girls trained with some top softball coaches in the country.

Other members of the Sooners 2000 title team, like Josh Norman and Howard Duncan, helped out with the conditioning.

"It's all networking," said Ken Heupel, Josh's father. "It's guys that love kids."

Heupel's goals are more than about training football players. Academics are important, as was evident at the camp.

The foundation worked with educational sponsor Pitsco to teach kids experiments involving air-powered rockets and model dragsters. The company will donate a lab to Sand Springs Public Schools, said Bill Holden of Pitsco.

Josh Heupel also shared his thoughts on life with the campers — and then, of course, an autograph session.

"There's just a lot of lessons," Heupel said. "That's what athletics is about. It teaches you a lot about yourself. It teaches you a lot of lessons to be successful in life. So I've talked about the lessons I've seen."

Matt Levin 581-5354
matthew.levin@tulsaworld.com By MATT LEVIN World Sports Writer

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	Report Comment thedomesticgodess, eufaula (7/23/2008 7:57:35 AM) Awsome :) keep it up... May the best always be in your future.
	Report Comment CrippledShark, LLC, Sand Springs (7/23/2008 9:08:11 AM) If things go as planned, he will be the next OU head coach (probably between 2012 and 2015).

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