Minnesota Vikings cornerback Trae Waynes and Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon share a home town, Kenosha, Wisconsin. In 2019, they’ll share the field when the Chargers play host to the Vikings in Week 15. And, this past weekend, they shared an opportunity to promote fitness in their home town before Training Camps get underway.
This past Friday at Indian Trail High School in Kenosha, Waynes and Gordon hosted a dodgeball tournament, featuring 30 teams from around the area. They also had a special guest in attendance, as the legendary Vincent Edward BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Jackson stopped by as well.
Though Waynes was not at the event on Friday. . .he was traveling home from a vacation that was previously planned before the dodgeball event was scheduled. . .he and Gordon came up with the idea for the dodgeball tournament, and Waynes’ parents helped to organize and coordinate all of the activities.
Gordon did an autograph session at the venue, and Waynes provided a stack of pre-autographed pictures of his own. The proceeds from that, as well as the entry fees and the admission that spectators were charged, went to the Indian Trail track and field team, as well as the Mahone Middle School Physical Education Activity Fund. Waynes and Gordon were teammates in middle school at Mahone before moving on to be teammates at Bradford High School.
There was no indication in the article of whether this is going to be an annual thing. Gordon and Waynes had done a 7-on-7 football camp last season, and switched things over to dodgeball this year.
It’s good to see Waynes and Gordon maintaining a relationship off the field, and using their fame and fortune for the benefit of youngsters in their home town. As long as Waynes doesn’t go easy on Gordon when they meet on the field in December. I’m guessing that he won’t.
(Hat tip to The Viking Age, who tracked this one down before we did.)