45.0°,
Partly Cloudy A 'Giant' day at Coleman Country Day Camp
Punter –– and Super Bowl winner –– Steve Weatherford swings by Merrick
As if straight out of a television commercial, a young camper asked New York Giants punter Steve Weatherford the question — “Since you’ve just won the Super Bowl, what are you going to do next?”
No, he did not say, “I’m going to Disney World.” Instead, Weatherford smiled and said, “I’m going to Coleman Country Day Camp.” The response evoked raucous applause from the hundreds of Coleman Country Day campers who looked on in awe at the recent Super Bowl champion.
Continuing their tradition of bringing acclaimed athletes from professional New York teams to Merrick, Coleman Country Day Camp welcomed the football star on Monday afternoon. The previous two summers, the camp had welcomed New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner and New York Mets first baseman Ike Davis to spend an afternoon with campers.
Weatherford, 29, has been a member of the Giants since 2011, and won his first Super Bowl when his team defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI in February. “This is my favorite part of being a Super Bowl champion –– getting to hang out with the kids,” he said.
Not only did he bring his Super Bowl ring with him to Coleman, but also he let the young campers pass it around. “It’s amazing seeing a real Super Bowl ring and feeling how heavy it is,” said Jake Gallitto, 11, of Merrick.
Spending a few hours with the Coleman Country campers, who hail from across the South Shore, Weatherford fielded questions, both football- and non-football-related, and even relayed some life lessons. “Sports were always very important to me,” he said, “but more important than that was my education.”
Weatherford, a graduate from the University of Illinois, grew up in Indiana. Before playing for the Giants, he had been cut from three different football teams. “Anyone who has ever attained anything great has gone through several disappointing times,” he said. “But that’s what makes winning a championship — or becoming the best at something — really special. If it was easy, anyone would do it.”
