Shreveport native Calvin (Tre’) Lester III hosts youth football skills camp

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — C.E. Byrd High School and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff alum, Tre’ Lester, hosted his first youth football camp. The camp brought many collegiate athletes in the Shreveport-Caddo area together, to be role models and mentor the next generation.

“Man to be excited where you’re from and be involved in where you’re from and let that light shine that God’s giving you, that’s what it’s about,” Lester said.

Athletes from all over the Shreveport area came back to provide something special for the youth.

“We got a bunch of college kids who came back, everybody is college kids, no one here is in the NFL or the pro’s we still in college and the people who were in this community,” Lester said. “Shreveport is Shreveport so we wanted to give back to the city that gave so much to us.”

The community means so much to these athletes and that’s something Lester finds special, as he was once in these kids shoes. Now, he’s had the opportunity to mentor the next generation.

“Man it’s kind of crazy because I remember going to Morris Claiborne’s camp, waking up being excited,” Lester exclaimed. “So having these kids out here for the first time and my first ever camp, it’s just giving back to the community, man it makes nothing sweeter, my heart is full right now.”

This camp was made possible through the Lighthouse Youth Foundation, which is a nonprofit dedicated to youth development in academics, athletics, and arts. Thanks to the foundation, Lester looks to continue this camp in the future.

“It’s something I want to give back, it’s not just a one time deal you know, I want the kids to continually see the people who were in there shoes about five, six, seven years ago come back to the city,” Lester said. “You want to pore back into your city.”

The inspiring athletes had a day of fun, while also building confidence and making connections with the ones who were in their shoes years ago.