Capital city youth get pep talk from NFL player and former Seminole Marvin Wilson at Simply Healthcare’s football camp

A team of all-stars turned out to play football and talk about mental health at the second annual Marvin & Friends Youth Football Camp, hosted by GameTime Prep and sponsored by Simply Healthcare.

Philadelphia Eagles NFL player and Florida State Seminoles Football alum Marvin Wilson led the effort. He was joined by Kary Vincent Jr. of the Philadelphia Eagles and Hamsah Nasirildeen of the New York Jets. Jordan Travis, Robert Cooper, Fabian Lovett, Dennis Briggs, Jarred Jackson, Robert Scott, Darius Washington, Cameron McDonald and Keyshawn Helton of the Florida State Seminoles football roster were also there.

Another high-profile name in attendance was FSU football alum and retired NFL player, Corey Simon. Simon is the former CEO of Volunteer Florida and a current candidate for Florida’s Senate District 3.

The no-cost event was hosted by GameTime Prep, a nonprofit established by Ed Hill to support youth, in partnership with Marvin’s Movement, a platform founded by Wilson and dedicated to investing in the next generation.

“I am grateful for another successful youth football camp, where we had the opportunity to invite kids out to the field, teach them the fundamentals of football and talk about the importance of taking care of their mental health,” said Wilson. “I was touched to see so many young faces working hard to achieve their dreams and become a better version of themselves.”

At the camp, the football stars led area youth and foster children in football drills, yoga and other activities — a dream come true for the dozens of youth participants who braved the heat to interact with the players, snap a photo and get their autographs.

In addition to the physical training, players also spoke about the importance of maintaining proper mental health and utilizing mental health resources like SimplyHealthyMinds.com, an online mental health tool kit launched by Simply Healthcare.

“Exercise provides tremendous mental and physical health benefits, and boosts our overall happiness and well-being,” said Holly Prince, president of Simply. “As part of Simply’s ongoing commitment to the whole health of the communities we serve, we are proud to partner with Marvin’s Movement and GameTime Prep to provide our next generation the tools and resources they need to improve their physical and mental health so that they can achieve bright and healthy futures.”