Sports FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2015 45 Ex-NFL star tackles overgrown field for football camp

HIGHLAND PARK: The weeds and wild grass rose well above Reggie McKenzie’s knees as the former NFL star walked the field bearing his name in the small Detroit enclave of Highland Park. With two weeks until the start of the youth football camp he’s been running for four decades, the city-owned field had yet to be mowed - and something had to be done. McKenzie, who starred on the gridiron at Highland Park High School and the University of Michigan before spending 13 years in the NFL, said he spent about $700 to make the field usable in time for the 3-day camp for several dozen teens and pre-teens. “If I gotta get it cut to have my program, well, I got to get it cut,” said McKenzie, whose camp counts NFL players as alumni. Highland Park has more pressing needs. The 3-square-mile city, the birthplace of Henry Ford’s assembly line, is among the poor- est communities in the US Drowning in millions of dollars in water debt to Detroit, it was determined last year to be in a finan- cial emergency. It is among several Michigan cities struggling to pay off mountains of debt while providing basic city services. Highland Park recreation director Michael Drain said public works crews typically cut the grass every week and a half and showed up after McKenzie had the field mowed. “They are really short-staffed, and there are so many vacant lots in the city and they have to get to those,” Drain said. Highland Park rose and fell with Detroit’s auto industry. By 1919, half the cars in the world were Model Ts, many of them built in Highland Park. Business leaders lived in spacious homes on tree- lined streets. But the population has dwindled from about 35,000 in 1970 to about 10,400 in 2013. With only 160 students returning next fall, the school district shuttered its only high school. McKenzie, 64, said he understands Highland Park’s troubles. But he added: “Sometimes people make things seem that they are harder than they really are.” “You’ve got to want to,” he said. “It’s just like football. You’ve TORONTO: In this file photo, ’ (second from left) skates past Winnipeg Jets’ Toby got to want to play. When I need the grass cut, I get it cut. Does it Enstrom (second from right) and Maple Leafs teammates during overtime NHL hockey action in Toronto. — AP bother me? Yeah, that they kind of let it run down. You don’t get mad. You just go and do something about it.” The field is still far from manicured. The former press box is likely beyond saving. Birds nest in the broken plywood flooring, sharing the two-story Kessel’s trade to Penguins cinderblock building with the occasional homeless person. Basketball courts are overgrown with cracked hardtop. But that didn’t stop this year’s camp participants. “Everybody’s out here highlights NHL free agency working,” said 14-year-old Baron Sholar. “Lot of sweat going on. Little kids working out. I like it.” DETROIT: On the first day of NHL free Conditional draft picks are also with San Jose comes a day after the Sharks The camp’s alumni include former NFL players, including agency, a blockbuster trade stole the spot- involved. Kessel has 247 goals and 273 acquired Martin Jones to be their starting Pittsburgh Steeler Jerome Bettis, Green Bay Packer Gilbert Brown light. The acquired assists in nine seasons between Boston goaltender as general manager Doug and Pepper Johnson, who played for several teams. McKenzie, a high-scoring winger Phil Kessel from and Toronto, including 25 goals and 36 Wilson has made a strong play to fix a member of Buffalo’s famed “Electric Company” offensive line, fin- Toronto on Wednesday in the biggest assists for the Maple Leafs in 2014-15. “He leaky defense that led to the franchise ished his playing career in Seattle and later worked in the team’s move of the day, while a handful of promi- was always the guy, he was a guy that was missing the playoffs for the first time since front office. He now runs an industrial materials business and a nent defenseman found new homes in blamed when things weren’t going well, 2003. foundation focused on education and sports for young people, free agency. Mike Green signed a multi- and he doesn’t have to be the guy here,” “We feel good we got these two pieces both of which bear his name. He also wants to make sure kids year deal with Detroit, Andrej Sekera Pittsburgh general manager Jim off our checklist,” Wilson said. “Now it have something more than what he did as a youth. “Whenever signed a $33 million, six-year contract with Rutherford said. “We have a bunch of allows us to look at some other things and we got a little piece of grass when we were growing up, we Edmonton, Paul Martin inked a $19.4 mil- them, and so I believe that he’s going to fit explore. But we don’t feel like there’s any would go play tackle. Back then, it wasn’t a whole lot of grass,” he lion, four-year deal with San Jose and in very well.” Kessel’s presence will provide rush. These two pieces needed to be said. “Football was fun and that’s why I still do the football Francois Beauchemin got a three-year deal Crosby and Malkin with a capable scorer addressed. They have been and we’ll go camp.”— AP with Colorado. still in his prime. Injuries devastated forward from here.” Despite losing Other notable players to sign with Pittsburgh’s depth last season. Richards and Brandon Saad, the teams on a busy opening day of free The Penguins struggled to score goals Blackhawks were able to lock up one of Walsh Jennings sets sight agency were right wing Justin Williams to for long stretches and fell to the New York the players they got in the seven-player a two-year, $6.5 million contract with Rangers in five games in the opening deal that sent Saad to Columbus on on fourth straight gold Washington; forward Michael Frolik, who round of the playoffs. With fewer top Tuesday. Forward Artem Anisimov agreed BERLIN: Kerri Walsh Jennings is eyeing her fourth consecutive got a $21.5 million, five-year deal from players hitting the market as unrestricted to a $22.75 million, five-year contract Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro next year but the American Calgary; forward Matt Beleskey, who got a free agents, the busiest action was on the extension Wednesday with Chicago. beach volleyball champion will have to complete this remarkable $19 million, five-year deal from Boston; blue line, where a handful of teams made The 27-year-old Anisimov had seven feat with a new partner. The 36-year-old mother of three won gold forward Blake Comeau, who signed a some big upgrades. Green gives the Red goals and 20 assists in 52 games for the at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics alongside three-year deal with the Avalanche; and Wings a quarterback for their power play Blue Jackets last season. The contract Misty Mae-Treanor in a partnership hailed as “the best beach vol- forward Daniel Winnik, who signed a two- after posting 10 goals, 35 assists and 17 extension begins with the 2016-17 season. leyball team of all time.” She is now bidding to join the exclusive year contract with Toronto. Williams won power-play points last season with “It’s a really good team, like really good club of athletes who have won four consecutive Olympic golds in the Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup Washington. Green is one of the most talented players,” Anisimov said. “They the same individual event, this time with April Ross who she beat MVP with the Kings last year. offensively skilled defensemen in the play the game so well. The past six years, for gold in 2012. That exclusive club of four straight Olympic golds A pair of players who helped Chicago league and has registered 113 goals and three Stanley Cups, it’s really good. I’m so far includes just two athletes-Americans Al Oerter and Carl Lewis win the Stanley Cup left as free agents 247 assists in 10 seasons with the Capitals. really excited to join this team.” Among — who achieved this feat in discus and long jump respectively at with Brad Richards signing a one-year deal Richards, who had 12 goals and 25 the busier teams Wednesday were the four consecutive Games. in Detroit and Antoine Vermette going assists for Stanley Cup champion Chicago , who re-signed for- “I don’t like to speculate, because anything can happen, but I back to Arizona four months after being last season, also gives the Red Wings ward Mike Ribeiro to a two-year, $7 million will say that April (Ross) and I are going to the Olympics to win and traded to the Blackhawks. But the biggest another scoring threat. “It’s a great day for contract, signed free agent defenseman we are doing everything we can to set ourselves up for success,” move was clearly the one that teamed up the Red Wings today,” general manager Barret Jackman and forward Cody Walsh Jennings told Reuters in an interview. “The level of play for Kessel with former MVPs Sidney Crosby Ken Holland said. “I think we’ve added two Hodgson, and acquired forward Max beach volleyball for men and women is insanely high. There are no and Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh. The players today that provide some really Reinhart in a trade with Calgary for a con- easy matches. In order to win this gold medal, April and I need to Penguins sent forward prospect Kasperi important ingredients we were looking ditional fourth-round draft pick. be extraordinary and that’s what we plan to do.” Extraordinary is an Kapanen, forward , defense- for.” The Oilers and Sharks both filled voids In other news, Carolina officially apt word used to describe the athlete, who was pregnant during man Scott Harrington and a 2016 third- on defense with their deals with Sekera bought out forward Alexander Semin’s her Olympic gold run at the London 2012 Games. For Rio she has round pick to the Maple Leafs for Kessel, and Martin. Sekera had three goals and 20 contract. The Hurricanes owe Semin $14 teamed up with Ross and Walsh Jennings said the change was a forward and defenseman Tim assists over 73 games with Carolina and million over the next six years and he is “challenge” and they were both working on it every day.—Reuters Erixon. Los Angeles last season. Martin’s signing now a free agent. —AP