Green Bay Packers Junior Power Pack

One thing about being a Green Bay Packer fan is the fact that we truly are a global community. Packer fans are located nationally and internationally. Take a couple of years ago on a weekend trip to Green Bay. We finally took the Lambeau Field tour last summer and my wife, two kids, and I were the only individuals on the tour from Wisconsin other than the tour guide. The group consisted of a wide variety of "Packer Pilgrims" from all over, Kansas, New York, Texas, California, and of all places, Stockholm, Sweden. As I mentioned before, us "Cheeseheads" are a loyal, spread out bunch.

Not only do the Packer have the global appeal to the adults, they have a program called the Junior Power Pack that focuses on the future of the Green Bay Packer franchise, our youth. Kids 14 and under are invited to join the Junior Power Pack for a very reasonable price of just $20.00 a year. (http://www.packers.com/fan_zone/kids_zone/kids_club) As a member your kid receives a Junior Power Pack membership card, Packer folder, Holiday greeting cards, birthday cards, a players picture, trading cards, magnet, free admission to the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame, a special back to school packet and 10% off in the Packers Pro Shop. The one thing that is truly priceless in the membership price is a special invite to the Junior Power Pack Experience Football Clinic held every year at the Green Bay Packer facilities (Either Ray Nitschke Field or the Don Hudson practice facility if weather requires.)

This special for members only event features a practice session of football skills and drills with up-and-coming and veteran Green Bay Packers players. Several stations are set up around Ray Nitschke Field. One station you get the eye black. Another is a hand off from a Packers player (Najeh Davenport last year). There's an inflatable obstacle course, which is a huge attraction. . The every popular tackling dummies. Catching a corner end zone pass from a Packer player (Ruvell Martin.) But the most special part of the whole event is watching one on one interaction between the Green Bay Packer Players and the kids.

Lifetime memories are made from moments like this. I have video from 2005 of my then 95 pound 14 year old daughter in her last year of eligibility of the Junior Power Pack doing a "hand jive" with and extremely large and looming Grady Jackson. I watched Najeh Davenport pull back the football on my son just before a hand off. Only to laugh out loud, bringing to mind the old Peanuts Lucy/Charlie Brown kicking routine.

The Green Bay Packer organization doesn't have to put on this free clinic every year. It's truly an honor for our kids to be on field named after a football legend. The one thing the Packers have realized though, which many businesses should consider, is the fact that these 5-14 year olds in the Junior Power Pack are the future of the franchise.

All I can say is the future looks real bright since they no longer have just one session, they've now had to make the Junior Power Pack Experience two sessions.