The following reflection, shared by Peer Leader Gabe Bustos of the Commerce City Boys & Girls Club, recaps his experience at last week’s NFL Hometown Huddle in partnership with Mile High United Way:
On October 14, each of the Boys and Girls Clubs of MetroDenver took about a dozen kids that participate in What Moves U to the Hometown Huddle in the INVESCO field. There, a group of Broncos players were waiting for us to arrive. When we did arrive the Broncos Players were all very friendly. They answered all the questions we had ready for them (Their name, what position they play, and of course their height.) The people that were organizing this event gave every child a shirt with the Broncos logo and the name of their club. Everyone looked really excited to be there and was anxious to start the activities. There were loads of press everywhere, taking pictures and filming every moment.
One of the C-City kids made really good friends with the Broncos players and started showing him his dance moves. Immediately there was a challenger from the Broncos Boys and Girls Club. All eyes were on them as they battled it out, Even the press. There was one really strange thing — there was a pet turkey in the crowd. The turkey was advertising a marathon they were going to have on Thanksgiving Day.
After a couple of minutes of waiting we separated in groups, every leader was a Broncos player. We jogged/ran/walked around INVESCO Field. When we almost completed a lap we stopped for a water break and waited for our Broncos leader to arrive. For an athlete he was pretty slow, he commented that he just ate so that’s why he couldn’t run. (Right, like who’s going to believe that!)
When he finally made it to the station we had a little race. We had to run up the stairs of the INVESCO and do ten jumping jacks. After a quick rest we ran around INVESCO twice. When we finished we got to step into the field. We were inside a 70,000 spectator stadium. We had a snack and got to learn a little bit more about our Broncos leader while eating. When we left they gave every child a healthy happy meal. We stayed outside the stadium for a while to eat and then left in our Boys and Girls Club bus.
–Gabe Bustos