A camper goes up for a leaping catch during a passing drill on Friday.

THOMASVILLE — On Friday, around 80 kids caught a glimpse of what hard work and dedication in football and in life can yield.

The Thomasville YMCA hosted its Drillz 4 Skillz football camp, a free event that was led by former collegiate and pro players, with on and off the field lessons being the focus.

Throughout the three-hour event, kids were given the chance to show off their football skills and pick up some more from seasoned veterans of the game through games and drills. In addition, they were pulled aside for talks on many topics from multiple speakers, from the players to police officers.

“I want them to understand that life is short,” former Thomas County Central and Buffalo Bills running back Joe Burns said. “It seems like it’s going to be forever. I’m about to be 30 years old and I’ve seen how the time flies. Take one day at a time, be respectful, and If you make other people look good, you’re going to look good. That’s the main thing.”

Besides Burns, other former NFL players in attendance included Paul Miranda and Danny Copeland, among others. Shawn Jones, a Thomasville native who led Georgia Tech to the 1991 national championship as a quarterback, was also on the field to help out.

Also among the names was former Thomasville standout Brandon Thompson, a current defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals. Mandatory NFL minicamps are just about to get underway, but he made the time to come back home for just a bit.

“It means everything just to get back home and give back,” he said. “This is how I started out, at a Joe Burns camp, so it really means a lot to these kids. It goes a long way. It really means something when you go back and see guys from Thomasville who made their dreams come true. I’m just blessed to be a part of it.”

Thompson’s presence was just another reminder to Burns that time is of the essence. He hopes that that lesson, among others, can continue to be taught for years to come.

“He came through a camp when me and Paul were doing them, so that lets us know how old we are,” Burns laughed. “It’s great to see everybody come together. There’s so much talent and so many legends walking around Thomasville. I always thought stuff like this was a great opportunity to see these guys and who they really are. Hopefully there’ll be more guys out of the community come out here and help us with this camp.”