Rams visit Compton students for football fun

A fun, free family event featuring exciting youth football clinics and giveaways took place in Compton on Friday, May 17 at Whaley Middle School, in the Compton Unified School District, led by USA Football and the Los Angeles Rams.

“It was a good time to be out here and watching everybody have fun and having a good time,” said edge rusher Jared Verse, who was selected in the first round (No. 19 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Rams.

USA Football’s Blitz event offered a day of free youth football activities for students. The event marks one of several Blitz events taking place nationwide through August.

The Blitz featured a Fan Fest area, complete with youth football clinics, yard games, giveaways, and appearances from the Rams Cheerleaders and mascot Rampage, and other exciting activities for kids and families.

More than 700 students from various schools in the Compton Unified School District attended throughout the day. In addition, the Rams 2024 rookie class supported USA Football’s 3rd annual Los Angeles Blitz Fan Fest and were in attendance during the daylong event.

Whaley Middle School Principal Ronald Wheaton sounded excited about the partnership between the school district and the Rams.

“It means more than you can imagine,” Wheaton said. “It’s the birth of a new beginning. First of all, the kids were so excited for this to happen. They couldn’t believe it…This means everything to us, not just to Whaley, but to the community itself.”

USA Football is the sport’s governing body in the United States and the sole organizer of the U.S. National Teams that represent the country in international competition, including when flag football debuts at the Summer Olympics Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

The Rams and USA Football’s efforts throughout Southern California have helped bring flag football to young athletes wanting to pursue the sport through numerous camps, clinics and talent identification camps.

Rams rookie defensive lineman David Olajiga said the event was a good way to engage with students.

“It’s great to be of service to the community and everything, Olajiga said. “I definitely enjoy giving back to the kids.”