The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Holmes hosts Celebrity Weekend 2008
06.22.2008 | Football
"Returning to where it all began for him," as Priest Holmes described, the former UT and NFL Pro Bowl running back hosted his Celebrity Weekend 2008 from June 20-21 in San Antonio. The charity fundraiser included a football camp, celebrity basketball game, dance performances and a concert.
Holmes retired from the NFL during the 2007 season, but instead of fading away, he became determined to use his name and time to benefit his community. Having participated in the San Antonio football camp every season, Holmes decided the time was right to grow the event.
"I decided to add an element to it and create Celebrity Weekend 2008," Holmes said. "It's fun to be here and have the kind of weekend we're having now."
The two-day camp was for kids ages 5-18 and featured past and current players from the NFL.
"It was a great chance for kids to get out here and have some fun, see some of the players they see on Sunday and take the players from TV and make them real," Holmes said. "The kids can come here and laugh with them and joke with them and play around with them on the football field and learns some skills."
Following the camp, all of the children received tickets to the celebrity event at Freeman Coliseum where they were treated performances highlighted by recording artist Chingy, along with dance performances and the celebrity basketball game that included names such as Mario and Karina Smirnoff from the TV show Dancing with the Stars.
Also participating in the game was a name very familiar to Longhorns fans, former WR Wane McGarity, who also now happens to work for one of the event sponsors, H-E-B.
"It's a beautiful thing to see Priest come back and the way he's giving to the community," McGarity said. "It's always good to be a part of. I've been part of this football camp for 10 years now. We've been in it for a long time helping out Bay Bay and Priest do what they want to do for the community. To get all these kids out here is a great thing."
Bay Bay refers to Bremond "Bay Bay" McClinton, who is a well-known trainer and founder of the Bay-Bay Kids & All Sports Foundation, which works to promote healthy living in children.
"I think that's so big right now," Holmes said. "So many kids want to spend their time on the computer, on Playstation, and they're not out being active. Bay Bay's Kids Foundation has created the opportunity for kids to participate at camps like ours and also be able to learn training techniques."
The other benefiting organizations included St. Peter-St. Joseph Children's Home, which is for victims of sexual and emotional abuse, neglect, poverty and broken homes, and the Shooting Stars Basketball Academy.
"My first opportunity of seeing a real NFL player wasn't until I was actually playing in the NFL," Holmes recalled. "The reason I say that is that my hero was Tony Dorsett, and I didn't get to meet him until four years into my NFL career. I wanted to make sure I was tangible and physical, and let kids see me and be around me. I come back to the community and make sure I put on these events to help out."
"It's always important to give back," McGarity followed. "You learn that when you're up in Austin, like when we go to visit the children's hospital. There's always somebody else that's in need besides yourself. We're blessed to live the life that we live. To give back to the community where we came from, it's just a big lift for us, and it's the right thing to do. That's what Priest is always about - the right thing to do."
