Even as a cornerback in the NFL, Derion Kendrick never forgot his South Pointe High roots.
Kendrick played 1,354 snaps at Clemson from 2018 to 2020 as a wide receiver and cornerback before being dismissed from the team. After transferring to Georgia for his last year of college, the defensive back started all 15 games and was named Defensive MVP of the Orange Bowl in the Bulldogs’ 2021 College Football playoff semifinal win over Michigan. Georgia went on the win the national championship, giving Kendrick his second in his four years in college.
Now with the Los Angeles Rams — he was sixth round draft pick in 2022 — South Pointe High School has always been in the back of his mind.
The Rock Hill school is where Kendrick played quarterback and wide receiver. It’s where he earned South Carolina Gatorade Football Player of the Year. It’s where he won four straight state championships. The place helped make him who he is, and he knew he needed to give back.
Derion Kendrick, Rams cornerback and South Pointe High School alum, poses with campers of his two-day youth football camp in Rock Hill. Lila Turner lturner@charlotteobserver.com
So, Kendrick contacted Welvin Simpkins, Lĭv To Grō CEO and former South Pointe football assistant coach, to begin planning a camp for kids in the Rock Hill area. In 2024, the Derion Kendrick Youth Leadership Camp was born.
“I just want to come back (and) feed into my community, the one that supported me throughout my college career, still in my NFL career, just rooting on, putting on the jerseys, turning on the TVs on Sunday, whatever the case may be,” Kendrick said at this year’s camp. “Just come back and giving them the jewels that somebody gave me, and then just leading their kids down the right path so they can fulfill their dreams.”
On Friday, South Pointe High School hosted Kendrick’s second annual leadership camp. Kendrick left training camp with the LA Ramsa little early to make an appearance. Over the two days, 200 elementary, middle and high school students listened to panels and guest speakers before competing in a 7-on-7 tournament on the final day. The second iteration included more speakers, sponsors and kids, thanks to Kendrick and Simpkins’ decision to open it to elementary students for the first time. Everything was free. All parents had to do is register.
Derion Kendrick, Rams cornerback and South Pointe High School alum, signs Princeton Barber’s cleat during Kendrick’s two-day youth football camp at his alma mater in Rock Hill. Lila Turner lturner@charlotteobserver.com
Although this camp had been discussed since Kendrick graduated from high school, it didn’t get serious until he went to the NFL in 2022.
Kendrick reached out to Simpkins. He and his mom joined the coach. Simpkins opened the conversation with a question.
“What do you want the camp to look like?”
There would be football involved, of course, but Kendrick wanted the kids to know about leadership. The first camp featured a one-on-one conversation with Simpkins and Kendrick. This year, the pair invited Chicago Bears cornerback Nick McCloud, former UNC and WNBA player Ivory Latta, motivational speakers, a preacher and a college professor. All are South Carolina natives.
The speeches centered around the campers chasing their dreams, overcoming setbacks and believing in themselves.
Latta, who is South Carolina basketball’s all-time scorer, met Kendrick for the first time at the camp and gets goosebumps thinking about what he’s doing for Rock Hill.
Ivory Latta, former WNBA player and South Carolina native, reacts to campers playing basketball during Derion Kendrick’s two-day youth football camp at South Pointe High School in Rock Hill. Lila Turner lturner@charlotteobserver.com
“When you think about a G.O.A.T., it’s not necessarily the championships that you win, but it’s the knowledge and the positivity that you give back to the community,” Latta said. “And if you can’t affect 30, if you can affect one, then you’re winning.”
After the guest speakers concluded, campers lined up to take pictures with Kendrick. He posed with them while singing as music played. The player even took some photos with kids’ parents and siblings who attended.
“Even if you don’t take this path of playing sports or whatever, you can be an engineer, you can be a doctor, all that type of stuff,” Kendrick said. “Just whatever you want to be, just be consistent. Work hard at it every day. That’s what I want them to get out of this. Work hard at whatever you want to do.”
Kendrick often plays basketball with his cousin when he’s home. Eventually, a big group of kids will form, all wanting to ask him questions. Sometimes he’ll receive this type of attention from riding around town. He doesn’t mind it, though.
He wants to be a mentor for kids in the area, even if it’s as small as giving them a field for a day at his camp or answering a question during a pick-up game.
Simpkins has loved seeing this growth as Kendrick has gotten older.
“It’s unique to be transparent with people because we don’t have it all figured out,” Simpkins said. “We all have different walks of life, come from different struggles, but for him to be able to open up and show a different side of him that most people won’t see playing the game of football, I think it’s important because people that look up to him need to see that there’s more than just one side of him.”
Next year, Kendrick and Simpkins plan to go even bigger. They want to add a cheer or flag football element so young girls can be included.
But whatever Kendrick decides to do, it’s all to serve the place that raised him.
Children attending Derion Kendrick’s two-day youth football camp raise their hands to join a 3-on-3 basketball game at Rock Hill’s South Pointe High School. Lila Turner lturner@charlotteobserver.com