TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — While much of the sports world is focused on soccer’s World Cup this summer, hundreds of young athletes gathered Saturday morning at Tucson High Magnet School for a different kind of football lesson.
Former Tucson High standout and NFL cornerback Levi Wallace hosted his annual Next Gen Football Camp, welcoming children from kindergarten through eighth grade for a morning of drills, instruction and mentorship from current and former football players.
The free camp, now in its third year according to Wallace, is part of his ongoing effort to give back to the community where he grew up.
“Yeah, this is the third year. It’s always a fun time,” Wallace said. “A lot of kids come out and we just try to give back to the community as much as we can.”
Wallace, a Tucson High graduate who went on to play college football at the University of Alabama before launching an NFL career, has made youth outreach a central focus of the Levi Wallace Foundation. The foundation supports educational and athletic opportunities for young people through camps, scholarships and community events.
Saturday’s camp emphasized both football fundamentals and life lessons. Campers rotated through drills designed to improve speed, agility and position-specific skills while interacting with coaches and former athletes.
Among those participating was Brevin Coleman, who listed a long roster of positions he plays.
“Wide receiver, running back, quarterback or sometimes free safety,” Brevin said.
His mother, Brandy Coleman, said the opportunity to meet a hometown success story offers motivation that extends far beyond sports.
“It just encourages them to stay in school, to do the things they need to be successful,” Coleman said. “And they’re able to put that together. They’re able to see him, see how far he’s gone and see that ‘hey, he went to a school just like me, it’s down the street from me.’”
For Wallace’s family, the event reflects a deep connection to Tucson and Tucson High.
“This is Levi’s passion, this is Levi’s home,” said Wendy Wallace, Levi’s mother. “Tucson and Tucson High in particular.”
Wallace said he hopes campers leave with more than improved football skills.
“As long as we can give back and help kids remember something for the rest of their lives and say, ‘I was out there coached by Levi Wallace and some other NFL coaches and guys who graduated and played in college,’ that’s the most important thing for us out here,” he said.
The Levi Wallace Foundation has hosted youth camps and other community-focused events in Tucson since 2022, continuing Wallace’s commitment to mentoring the next generation of Southern Arizona athletes.
——
Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
----
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
