JACKSONVILLE – The guest list is impressive, as is the cause.
Jaguars All-Pro defensive end Calais Campbell in one week will host his inaugural Bowling Classic at Main Event Entertainment in Jacksonville, and make no mistake:
The event matters to Campbell – and with reason.
"When you get to the community and you can have a big fundraiser while interacting with the community, it allows you to do so much more," Campbell said Tuesday at EverBank Field.
Main Event has teamed up with the Charles Richard Campbell Foundation – founded by Campbell and his family – to host a "night full of bowling, great food and drinks and a little friendly competition." The event will be held Tuesday, May 15.
Jaguars players including quarterback Blake Bortles, running back Leonard Fournette, linebacker Myles Jack, defensive tackle Malik Jackson and defensive tackle Marcell Dareus will participate. For more information on the event or for sponsorship information, please contact John Swidzinski at john@swidzinskimgmt.com.
All proceeds from ticket and sponsorship sales will be donated to the CRC Foundation, an organization committed "to the enhancement of the community through the teaching of critical life skills to young people. Through sports, creative talents, vocational skills, financial skills, and quality health and nutrition, the CRC Foundation helps develop young people into empowered and self-aware leaders for the future."
Fans interested in attending the event can purchase tickets here.
Campbell and his family established the CRC Foundation in honor of Campbell's father, Charles Richard Campbell. Campbell said the foundation is "a direct result" of his father's teachings.
"His legacy and what he represented is something with a lot of great value," Campbell said. "The lessons he taught me, I want to share with the world and these kids who are coming from these tough backgrounds and who could use some kind of positive, consistent reinforcement."
Campbell said his father taught him the importance of thinking before you act and "understanding the consequences of everything you do."
"That was really important for me at a young age and allowed me to make proper decisions that allowed me to end up where I'm at today," Campbell said. "We try to teach kids the life skills you need to give yourself an advantage in this world."
Campbell said the CRC Foundation recently celebrated its first college graduate: Deanna Lee, who graduated with a B.A. in Biology from High Point (N.C.) University.
Campbell on Tuesday also discussed several football- and Jaguars-related topics, including:
*The team's mindset as it prepares for organized team activities two weeks from Tuesday: "The way we work is impressive. We have great leadership. The energy that [defensive end] Yannick Ngakoue and [linebacker] Telvin Smith bring on a daily basis is contagious. You see all of the other guys feeding off of that with that same kind of energy. We're working hard and getting better each and every day. I can't wait to get the new guys in, get them acclimated and start working toward being the best football team we can become." …
*What he likes about this team entering 2018: "As it stands right now, the way the team's working, there's no doubt in my mind we're going to be a really good team. You have some leadership that's growing. That's really a true value that you can't underestimate having those guys who are young but who will go out and give it their all every single day. If I'm around them, I have to compete with them, I can't just let them go out there and go out on their own. The competition we have on the field in the weight room and on the field is impressive." …
*On what motivates him at age 31 after 10 NFL seasons: "My biggest motivation is I would love to be a Super Bowl champ. That's the No. 1 motivation. I see this team has the team potential, so it makes it so much more realistic and so much closer. That gives me a lot more energy every day when I wake up coming to work. I know if I just give a little more each day this team has a chance." …
