Bradley Marquez had to take off his shades Saturday afternoon, standing in the summer sun on the turf at Ratliff Stadium.
He lifted part of his shirt, and sank his face into it — drying his eyes.
Marquez had always wanted to make a difference.
Saturday afternoon, when he wiped away those tears, lifted his head and opened his eyes again, he could see right there in front of him, and all around him, just what a difference he had made.
Marquez hosted his first football camp in Odessa on Saturday to benefit the Odessa YMCA, bringing 215 young campers to Ratliff for a day of instruction and fun led by Marquez, an Odessa High alum and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver.
And after a day of giving back, as the camp concluded, Marquez stood near midfield on his old stomping grounds and became emotional, surrounded, on all sides, by family, friends, organizers and those young campers.
“I just wanted to give back to the community that gave me so much,” he said into a microphone moments later, choking back more tears.
Marquez and five of his former Texas Tech teammates and current NFL colleagues offered instruction to campers aged 6 to 17, putting together a successful first camp and a day full of drills, active exercise and plenty of smiles and laughter.
It’s the kind of thing Marquez said he wished he had back when he was growing up in Odessa, before he set career rushing and touchdown records with the Bronchos, played four standout seasons at Texas Tech and signed with the Rams in 2015.
Saturday, he made that wish a reality — not for himself, but for kids in his hometown.
It was during the camp’s closing program that his emotions got to him, after campers and parents thanked him, and Odessa City Councilman Filiberto Gonzales surprised him with a framed copy of a city proclamation making July 15, 2017 known as Bradley Marquez Day in Odessa.
“I’m just at a loss of words and I just thank everybody for making it happen, and I hope that I can continue to be a positive role model in everybody’s lives — especially these young kids as they grow up,” he said.
Youngsters moved through stations throughout the four-hour camp Saturday, learning their way through different drills with instruction from Marquez, the Giants’ Davis Webb, the Saints’ Ashaad Mabry, the Titans’ Jace Amaro and the Raiders’ Branden Jackson and DeAndre Washington — before a few fun games ended the day’s activity.
“We had a lot of fun, just getting to know kids, teach them how to throw a pass or go through a ladder drill, and play a little razzle dazzle ball at the end,” laughed Webb, a former Texas Tech and Cal quarterback drafted by the Giants this spring.
For Marquez, bringing those kinds of players to Odessa to offer instruction and guidance to younger kids was an achievement of a long-time goal.
“I always wanted to,” Marquez said after that closing program, and after signing fulfilling every autograph request he got on the field at Ratliff. “My first goal was I wanted to play in the NFL, MLB, whatever it was — and then after that, when I was able to do that, then I wanted to be able to give back.
“That was something that I always wanted to do, so now for it to kind of come full circle now, and to be back here where I started and giving back to these kids, it’s just amazing.”
The camp is the following of a proven formula that several players across the NFL use in the summer months to give back to communities — but Marquez and his friends were glad to be the group to bring something like it to Odessa.
“That’s cool,” Webb said. “It’s my first one being an NFL guy.
“It’s good to be around good people and teach some kids some stuff and be a good positive role model. All these guys are wanting autographs — that’s a cool feeling. I remember, it feels like yesterday I was that kid at that camp, trying to soak up information, learn new drills and then go out there and execute it on my own time.”
Saturday, more than 200 kids in Odessa had that same chance.
“This is something that I would’ve loved to have been a part of, to be able to stay home and have some guys in the NFL that are right here in your hometown that you can go see, all at one place,” Marquez said. “I’m thankful for those guys as well, my buddies that were able to come out help support it.”
Odessa YMCA CEO and President Ed Moreno said proceeds from the camp are going toward the city YMCA, with money heading toward a new alarm system and general scholarship programs for disadvantaged potential members.
“It really hits home to how much (Marquez) means to this community and these kids,” Moreno said. “This showing of kids was amazing, considering we got this done in less than three months.”
Marquez and Moreno plan to make the camp an annual event.
“I was born and raised here, my family still lives here, so this is always going to be home,” Marquez said. “So I just want it to be a special place for everybody and do whatever I can to bring positive light to this town.”
