Tamarick Vanover talks life, football at Crestview camp (with PHOTO GALLERY)

CRESTVIEW — As roughly 40 kids gathered around him, each of whom appeared to hang on his every word, Tamarick Vanover recognized the opportunity before him.

Vanover, a freshman All-American at Florida State University who later became one of the most elusive special teams players in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, saw the faces before him and realized the impact his words could have on their lives.

“It’s about making the right decisions, the right choices about who you hang around,” Vanover said. “You want to surround yourself with positive people.”

Click here to view a Photo Gallery of Crestview's football camp

Vanover was in Crestview on Friday to help run Camp 80, a camp at Crestview High aimed at helping kids from kindergarten through rising seniors in high school with the nuances of the game.

And for all the lessons that centered on technique and fundamentals related to the game, Vanover hoped to enlighten those that attended that good decision-making extended well beyond the white lines.

 “When I was growing up I faced the issue of what happened to me in the NFL and now I’m trying to give back to the community and give back to the kids,” Vanover said. “I want them to understand, ‘Listen, even though you might fall, you can still get up.’ ”

Vanover knows well of life’s ups and downs.

After making an immediate impact as a receiver and kick returner at Florida State, where Vanover was an integral member of the school’s 1993 national championship team and still holds the school record for highest average per kickoff return in a game (60.3 yards) and kickoff returns for a touchdown in a season (two in 1992), Vanover left Tallahassee for the professional ranks.

Once in the NFL, Vanover’s star continued to rise with the Chiefs as one of the league’s most feared return men, as he piled up 1,930 yards on 181 punts and four touchdowns in five years with Kansas City. In 1999, Vanover led the league in punt return yardage and punt return touchdowns.

But it all came crashing down due to circumstances off the field. In 2000, he received a jail sentence for helping finance a stolen-car ring and a marijuana distribution operation and served two months in prison.

But he turned his life around, with his participation in Camp 80 being just the latest evidence.

Vanover had been the head football coach at Lake City Christian Academy before deciding earlier this year to return to Tallahassee to earn his degree. While on the FSU campus, Vanover approached Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden about becoming involved once more with the FSU program.

Bowden signed on, and after talking with assistant coach Jimbo Fisher, assigned Vanover as a student assistant with the team’s wide receivers.

“I decided I needed to go back go school and get my degree,” Vanover said. “It’s going pretty good. I give a lot of thanks to coach Bowden and coach Fisher for allowing me to come back even though I left early.”

Now, Vanover is looking to make the most of his own opportunity.

Vanover has already been in talks to see if Camp 80 can receive a grant from the NFL that would allow kids to attend without paying fees and the former Seminole is also looking to expand the camp’s outreach.

“Next year we’re going to try to do five camps in the state of Florida,” Vanover said. “We’re just trying to get the kids out there and have fun.”