One Los Angeles area youth football team received the field trip of a lifetime courtesy of the Los Angeles Rams: A tour of SoFi Stadium.
The Watts Rams, a youth football program that’s funded by the Los Angeles Police Department and who has been in existence since 2013, had players between the age of 8 to 13 step onto the field and hang out in the locker room with members of the Rams’ 2021 draft class on June 22. The Rams then released a viral video of the kids’ experience at SoFi in Inglewood on Tuesday evening.
“The Watts Rams program is made up of inner city kids in South L.A. To get these guys back in something positive and out the house and off the streets, it’s very important,” said Watts Rams head coach Zarren Thompson in the Tuesday clip.
Thompson, who is an LAPD officer away from the field, shared the importance of instilling a positive experience for his kids especially following the coronavirus pandemic.
“I experienced a couple of bad incidents that we had during COVID time with some of my players that really needed the solid foundation of something positive during the day. So just to get them out and get them busy, it’s very important to get these guys going,” Thompson said.
The youth program serves as an outlet to steer kids away from one of the more gang-infested parts of L.A.
“They gave me some good pointers about staying in school, chasing your dreams, don’t let anybody get in your way. The sky’s the limit after today. I could do anything I want.”
Always a great time with our @WattsRams 💙
From Bears to Rams
The youth team were once known as the Watts Bears. But in July 2019, they switched the name to the Rams through a partnership through the pro franchise. The Rams help fund uniforms, equipment as well as provide engagement opportunities with current Rams and former players.
In the case of the June 22 visit, the young Rams got the chance to interact with rookies like Ernest Jones and Robert Rochell. Jones applauds the direction the program is going in.
“I love what the Watts Rams have going on with just being able to help these kids out and give them another platform somewhere else to kind of get away from those bad things (around them),” the rookie linebacker from South Carolina said.
Jones himself saw his younger version through the Watts Rams. He briefly shared how the environment he lived in at Waycross, Georgia wasn’t always pleasant.
“For me, just like growing up the area wasn’t always good,” Jones reflected. “So seeing something like this inspires me. It makes me want to help these guys out and help the Watts Rams out even more.”
Added the rookie cornerback Rochell: “Just being able to come in and see that they’ve given back to these kids and trying to help kids is everything. And I want to be a part of that as well just because I came from a tough background (Rochell grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana).
Smiles at SoFi
Two members of the Watts Rams noticed the positive vibes from their peers and came away smiling while being around SoFi and the Ram rookies.
“Just to see my teammates happy like that, it brightens my day,” said Johnny House. “It just makes me want to become a better person and help others out.”
Fellow Watts Ram and eighth grader Evan Williams added “I got to meet some of the rookies. They gave me some good pointers about staying in school, chasing your dream, and don’t let anybody get in your way. The sky’s the limit after today. I can do anything I want.”
The trip ended with Watts proudly answering “Whose House?” with “Rams House!” on the SoFi grass.
The Rams featured the youth program on their You Tube channel in February 2020 before the pandemic.
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Rams Rookies Help Give Youth Football Kids the SoFi Stadium Experience