The DAILY NEWS

BOGALUSA - In its third year of existence, Robert "Big Bird" Smith hopes that the "Giving Back" All-Pro Football Camp will have its best year yet.

"We expect around 100 kids," said Smith, a 1980 Bogalusa High School graduate and the current Director of Player Personnel for the Arena Football League's Kansas City Brigade. "And we've seen this grow from having about five professional athletes at our first one to about 15 this year."

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Indeed, the camp offers an excellent opportunity for the youth of Washington Parish to learn about the game from some of their favorite football stars.

For the third consecutive year, New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister will be on hand to speak with campers and sign autographs, as will former Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos All-Pro Neil Smith.

Smith, a New Orleans native, played defensive end on two Super Bowl teams for the Broncos in 1997 and '98.

"To have a guy like Neil come here, who will be going into the NFL Hall of Fame," said Smith. "It's just a great opportunity for the kids."

Smith has teamed with fellow former Lumberjacks Bruce Plummer, now a scout for the Atlanta Falcons, Sean Smith, and current NFL players Kenderick Allen and Ronald Fields to help deliver what he hopes will be two special days for the city.

Joining them will be a gang of special instructors that will include New Orleans Saints players Charles Grant and Boo Williams; T.J. Duckett and Todd McClure of the Falcons; current and former Arena League players Chris Avery, Joe Todd and Chris "Soul Train" Ryan; as well as Bogalusa native and East Carolina University assistant coach Donnie Thompson.

Allen - who starred at LSU before taking his talents to the NFL, where he recently signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers - has also brought in former Tiger All-Americans Corey Webster, now of the New York Giants, and Chad Lavalais, now with the Falcons.

Today's portion of the camp will feature drills and games for the younger campers, while Thursday's portion will feature a new addition to the camp - a combine-style workout for local high school talent.

Players can come to the camp and participate in various drills, such as the 40-yard dash, shuttle run and broad jump, that pro scouts and college coaches use to grade talent.

"We will let them know what it takes to get college," said Smith, who starred at Grambling University under legendary head coach Eddie Robinson.

"I would have loved to have a pro coach come and work with me when I was in high school. This is a great thing for high school kids, and we expect to get some from all over the area."

Smith added that the camp will be an opportunity for area coaches to also learn drills to run in their own practices.

"We want to help out these kids in the best possible position to be a better athlete than they were before," Smith said.

The camp will be for area youths, ages 7-18.

Costs are $30 per child and sign-up forms can be picked up at BHS and the Avenue B and U YMCAs.

For more information, contact Ken Martin at (985)-750-2343, or Michael Melancon at 732-3661.

The camp will wrap up Thursday night with the second annual "Dinner with our Legends" banquet, honoring former BHS and Central Memorial High School stars Virgil Underwood, Aaron Thompson, Normel Keller and state Rep. Henry "Tank" Powell.

"I think it's going to be exciting," Smith said. "I hope the four people we are honoring know that we really do think of them as legends."

The dinner will start at 7 p.m. and will be held in the girls gym at BHS.