EAGAN, Minn. – The energy was palpable.
Students ran from one drill station to another, yelling excitedly and cheering for their classmates as they ran ladder drills, aimed to kick a football through inflatable uprights or leapt to catch a pass.
The Vikings last week teamed up with U.S. Bank and hosted two elementary schools – Frost Lake (St. Paul) and Cityview Community School (Minneapolis) – for a field day and book fair at TCO Stadium.
“It’s fun. I had a good time, probably as much as they did,” smiled Vikings receiver Jordan Addison. “Just seeing them all running around, living freely, the light shining in their eyes, it was just a good experience.”
Addison never had the opportunity to meet a professional athlete growing up, so he noted his desire to make a positive impact on the youngsters.
“It shows them that they can … get here, too,” he said. “It’s just always so cool to be here with kids, giving back and showing them that the future is bright.”
Fellow receiver Trishton Jackson, who played flag football with some of the Frost Lake students, echoed Addison’s sentiments.
“I love the energy. It reminds me of myself when I was a little kid,” Jackson said. “Especially having the opportunity to hang out with us [as Vikings players] and see the joy on their faces, I love it. I love stuff like this.
“The fact that they can see we’re real people and actually care about them [is important],” Jackson added. “I love doing things like this, and I know they have a great time. … They can see that we’re down to earth, they can ask us questions, they can just be kids. It’s a lot of fun.”
Addison and Jackson were joined by Vikings staff member volunteers and numerous teammates, including Brian O’Neill, Garrett Bradbury, Dan Feeney, Jaren Hall, Jay Ward, Ryan Wright, NaJee Thompson, Jaquelin Roy, Ed Ingram and Trent Sherfield, Sr., among others.
Vikings rookies, including first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy, participated in the morning field session with Cityview Community School, while vets and the Vikings coaching staff tackled the afternoon session with Frost Lake.
Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell visited each session to address the full groups, encouraging them to keep doing well in school and leading a SKOL Chant.
“I think it’s really fun when you have kids out here are huge Vikings fans, they love all things Vikings, and then there will be 10 of…
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