NFL players visit Garden Island ahead of Pro Bowl

LIHU‘E — Nearly 200 youngsters got the benefit of a visit by six National Football League players and three NFL cheerleaders during the 2013 NFL Youth Clinic Friday afternoon at Vidinha Stadium.

Nat Moore, a former Miami Dolphin player, said this is the eighth or ninth visit by NFL players to Kaua‘i to help youngsters enjoy the game of football better.

Coordinated by the Kaua‘i Economic Development Board and the County of Kaua‘i, Maty Yoshioka, the KEDB director, said in addition to the clinic, the players visited Kaua‘i High School and the Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School for motivational appearances.

During the clinic where all participants received a complimentary NFL Pro Bowl athletic shirt, the Play 60 initiative was reinforced, Moore telling the audience to get out and play for 60 minutes, not just sit on the couch.

NFL Play 60 is the football league’s campaign to fight childhood obesity.

In the audience, a 6-year NFL player and a safety for the Dallas Cowboys, Eric Frampton, joined the coaching staff for the youth, a KEDB staff member noting that Frampton lives on Kaua‘i during the off-season and got permission from Moore to help with the instructional phase of the clinic.

Cheerleaders making the Kaua‘i tour included Samantha Ruiz of the Miami Dolphins, Chelsey Davis of the Arizona Cardinals and Heather Hartman of the Denver Broncos.

NFL players joining Frampton and Moore on the field included former University of Hawai‘i player Ikaika Alama-Francis, Fred McCrary, Vince Manuwai and Samson Satele.

The NFL Youth Clinic is a prelude to the NFL 2013 Pro Bowl, which will play Sunday at Aloha Stadium on O‘ahu starting at 7 p.m. EST and televised live on NBC.

• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.