MESA, Ariz. — He is seen as one of the best high school players to ever come out the state of Arizona and he made his way back home to give back to the high school youth in the Valley.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews hosted local high school football players at the 'Mark Andrews Tight End Academy' at Westwood High School in Mesa.
At the camp, he worked hands-on with student-athletes and even ran through some of the drills with himself.
“It’s been extremely special for me to be back here and it’s almost like a déjà vu moment," Andrews, who played high school football at Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale, said. "It felt like I was just in high school the other day working for my moment and working to get to college and to be the best and I see the same hunger in these guys out here.
"To be able to do this you have to love it and these guys do and they are working hard. It’s kind of a big full circle moment and it’s been fun.”
Andrews also held a Q&A session with the student-athletes and shared the wisdom he has gained both on and off the football field.
“So for me to be out here and give them tricks of the trade and maybe something I picked up along the way but wished I picked up earlier," Andrews, a former All-Friday Nigh Fever team member, said. "To be able to give back is a great feeling and to let these young men know you have to follow your dreams and have to keep working."
Andrews added that he realizes the road to the NFL is an arduous one but knows any of these young athletes can achieve their goals as long as they fall in love with the process and appreciate the grind along the way.
"To see these kids in my shoes where I was, to be able to help them out and do something like this, it’s been really cool,” Andrews said.
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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