Warren comes home for MO Hurricanes clinic

By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on July 12, 2010 1:47 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- For the first time since it's completion, Greg Warren stood on the field that he was instrumental in creating.

A donation from the Pittsburgh Steelers' long snapper helped build the Mount Olive Hurricanes' gridiron behind the Southern Academy school. On Friday, Warren returned to Mount Olive to direct the Hurricanes' annual football clinic.

"It's great to come back and see all of the kids and see them enjoying the field," said Warren. "I got my start playing youth football in Mount Olive and now I get to be a part of these young guys and the beginning of their career."

Approximately 50 young men turned out for the two-day camp that featured instruction from all of the Hurricanes' volunteer coaches as well as Southern Wayne High School head coach Bob Warren.

Seeing his dad work with children, who were just learning the game he loves, brought a smile to Greg Warren's sun-parched face.

"I grew up looking up to my dad and I still do," Greg said. "Seeing him teach the game to another generation of kids is really something special.

"All of these coaches, they spend a great deal of time and the care so much about the kids and the game. I never realized it when I was young, but I definitely see it now."

Warren was back in town last fall and got to see the field itself as well as the scoreboard and the press box, but he had not seen the lights since Hurricanes' coach Alex Ferrell had them installed.

"Alex said he was going to get the lights done and I didn't know if he would be able to do it or not," said Warren. "But to his credit, Alex got the lights in and put the last touch on the field."

Still trying to recover from an injury he suffered last season with the Steelers, Warren took part in both the clinic at Mount Olive as well as a camp for snappers, punters and kickers at East Carolina University.

Showing no ill effects from the setback, Warren expects to be fit for training camp in August.

"I feel about 95 percent right now," Warren said. "I still have a little soreness if I run hard on it all day but its coming along each day and I feel pretty good."