Fans young and old filled the grounds of Flowery Branch for Youth Weekend during the second day of 2014 XFINITY® Atlanta Falcons Training Camp. The Atlanta Falcons Drumline performed as fans entered the gates, greeting them with heart pounding beats, and creating a sense of excitement which quickly spread through the crowd.
Kids and parents alike had smiles as they walked to and from each activity. The silence from the morning was quickly filled by laughter and screeches as kids threw footballs at 10 gallon trashcans.
Parents agree, events such as this one are neat, exciting, and allow fans the opportunity to spend time with the Falcons community.
"It means the world for him to experience something like this, seeing he's a huge football fan," Falcons fan Stephen Green said of his son. "It's wonderful. The way they give back like this; it's great."
Green's son, 11-year-old Xavier Green, recapped everything he'd done, including seeing the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders, which had been his favorite part. Like all of the kids, he was excited to be here and experience the fun activities.
"It's a good thing and I'm grateful that I'm here," Green said.
As people lined up for the first-ever Falcon Walk, father-son duo, Phillip and Brayden Murray, stopped to see what the commotion was.
"The entire organization does a really good job of making sure that these guys are visible in the community," Murray said. "For the youth to look up to them is exceptional; them staying out of trouble and just being able to kind of see and feel. I think that's huge."
As the crowd around the parade route thickened, anticipation grew. Kids and parents wanted a glimpse of their favorite Falcon player. The Atlanta Falcons Drumline kicked off the Falcon Walk, leading the players and coaching staff out of the main building to a roaring crowd.
Cheers and applause for the hometown team filled the air. Faces of little boys and girls lit up as players made their way past. Children stuck out their hands, and one-by-one the players gave high-five's in return. The shock and awe on the young faces as they realized they just got high-fived by a Falcons player, summed up the joy and excitement of the afternoon.
