Townsend gives back to home-away-from-home youths in Pittsburgh

By Angie Ledbetter

Not only do the kids in Panola County get to share in Deshea Townsend’s NFL activities, so do kids in his home for 11 years.

Townsend held his third annual football and cheerleader camp for ages 7 to 14 with the health fair on Saturday June 18 at Sto-Rox high school in Pittsburgh. An estimated 120 campers plus 40 cheerleaders attended the camp.

He held a question and answer session with the youngsters at the end of camp with campers asking questions about his playing career, his high school in Mississippi being national champions, his relationships with Hines Ward and others players and even the lockout.

Townsend said he felt like he was on ESPN with the questions they asked.

Townsend quarterbacked the 1993 South Panola football team to its first state championship and to a 15-0 season. He went on to play at Alabama and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1997.

He stayed with the Steelers until the 2009 season and then played half a season with the Indianapolis Colts in 2010.

He is now an assistant defensive backs coach for the Arizona Cardinals and just completed his 11th annual Pay It Forward Football and Cheer Camp at South Panola.