Football hosts the Youth Impact Program

For the second year, the University of Michigan football team hosted the Youth Impact Program (YIP), a combination of academics, tough love and football for 100 at-risk boys bussed in daily from Detroit over two weeks during the summer at Michigan Stadium.

YIP founder and chairman Riki Ellison, a former NFL player, visited last year’s initial camp run by the Wolverines. Ellison’s innovative program partners with universities across the U.S. and their local NFL team. The Detroit Lions hosted a field trip for the Michigan campers at Ford Field.

The program aspires to “act as a catalyst to promote positive development in low-income, urban-based, at-risk middle school male athletes between the ages of 10 and 14 years old.” All campers are guests of the Wolverines.

“It’s hopefully a life-changing experience for these children and will make a difference in our community,” said Zach Eisendrath, the director of operations and communications for Coach Jim Harbaugh who also served as camp director. “It’s also equally beneficial for our staff and student-athletes to go through this.”

The entire rising sophomore class and four juniors led five different teams of boys. Six U.S. Marines from Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township, Michigan contributed lessons and discipline, and four Detroit Public Schools teachers taught math, life skills, science and reading.

Guest speakers also addressed campers each day during lunch hour, and included former Wolverine football stars Braylon Edwards, Larry Foote, Harlan Huckleby, Jerome Jackson and LaMarr Woodley; senior tight end Jake Butt; former basketball stars Jimmy King and Jordan Morgan; and Jack Harbaugh, father of the head coach and a former college coach.

“Football is a reward at this camp,” said Eisendrath. “If you take care of your academics, and treat people the right way, football is your reward in the afternoon. At the end of the day, this camp is about building character.”