Manning brought a little help in with friends such as Indianapolis Colts running back, Dominic Rhodes, San Francisco 49ers cornerback, Tarell Brown, Oakland Raiders Michael Huff, and another hometown favorite former TCU Horn Frog, David Hawthorne, who is currently signed with the Seattle Seahawks as a linebacker.

Manning’s Sportsfest began on Friday night with a little bowling competition for the kids and the pros, but the big event for the young aspiring gridiron stars was the free football and cheer clinic on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.

The kids participated in a variety of skills and drills with Corsicana High School coaches conducting the workouts across the stadium floor.

Manning said he could see himself when he was their age as he watched the kids listening to the coaches and pushing themselves as hard as they could through each and every drill.

“I was like a sponge,” said Manning. “Anybody that told me anything, who were in a higher position that I was trying to get into … I would listen.”

He said he was always into his coach’s ear and trying to pick their brains while learning as much as possible the ins and outs of the very game he loves.

“I always wanted to know how I could be a better player, or how I could be a better person, or what it takes to be in a position like you (player-coach),” Manning said. “Even when I was in high school and college, I was always sitting in their office watching films and just learning as much as I could about the game.”

Manning said he was expecting a turnout for the event, but not as big as it actually turned out to be.

“This was far more than what I expected,” He said. “I had a great time!

Manning is also a mentor for a few members of his family that are making their way through the ranks in football, including an uncle, Tyjuan Manning, who currently plays wide receiver for Abilene Christian University.

Manning, a free safety going into his third season with the Bears, came out of Abilene Christian University after his junior year, and was Chicago’s first draft pick (42nd overall) in the 2006 NFL draft.

During his first season the Bears made it to the Super Bowl, with Manning playing in all 16 regular season games and making an immediate impact on the team with 80 tackles and five forced fumbles to go along with his two interceptions and additional accolades on defense.

“That whole year … being drafted … first of all let me take a step back,” said Manning, while trying to catch his breath after running the obstacle course drill, “just deciding to come out (after his junior year in college) it was an unbelievable year … the whole year. Abilene went 5-5 that year. It was a disappointing season especially with all of the talent we had coming back on offense and defense. I really wasn’t expecting to come out (for the draft). I wanted to have a claim to fame in college, but God had other plans for me. I found an agent, and being the Bear’s first pick, from there the season … all those games we went undefeated (10-0) before losing our first game … words can’t even express how much or how unbelievable that was!

Manning is still excited about that first season, and even used a quote from the Boston Celtics

Kevin Garnett after winning the NBA Championship earlier this month.

“He put it in great words,” said Manning. “Anything is possible! One year, and you’re in the Super Bowl … anything is possible … I was really excited about it!”

He added that it would have been even better if the Bears had been able to win the NFL’s most coveted game.

“It was great!” he said. “It was a lot of hard work and dedication defining all of the year’s why I was working out you know … staying late after practice, missing family outings, it all paid off.”

Manning believes strongly in hard work and dedication, and owes a lot of his beliefs to the coaches who believed in him.

“I had several coaches who encouraged me in different ways,” Manning said. “Coach Keith Moore, now the principal at CHS, seeing him out there at practice with the enthusiasm he had to coach us younger guys helped me a lot. It helped me to know that if you keep dreaming that anything is possible.”

Manning went through two different head coaches during his high school playing days.

Renowned coach Tom Wilson was the first followed by Coach Jeff Berry.

“Those guys,” he said, “showed me the ropes.”

Manning said his track coaches played a big part in defining him as a person and player as well.

As for the 2008 season, he feels the Bears have a great core of players, and the team feels confident with quarterbacks Rex Grossman and Kyle Orten.

“We love Rex, and we love Kyle, from the front office, to the coaching staff, and players,” said Manning, “we feel this is it … this is our year. We got everything we need and in place … this is our year!”

After being interviewed, Manning went back to the kids where he sat down and gathered the youngsters around to allow them some time to ask him an assortment of questions from playing the game to where he lives, and what kind of house does he live in.

He was even asked if he had a swimming pool, in which if Manning had answered yes the kids would have probably begged him for a swim since the temperature seemed to be hovering near the century mark.

When the Q&A was over, Manning and his NFL friends stuck around to sign autographs before resting up for the celebrity basketball game later that evening to round out the two day Sportsfest.

Manning is planning to have the second annual Sportsfest next June around the same time.

The entire day was a class affair put on by some very classy individuals, and rest assured, youngsters now find themselves in a dilemma as to which player and team to root for this football season.

Anyone want to put their money down that Manning will be the one?

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