It’s been nine years since Malcolm Butler became an NFL legend and started a tradition in his hometown of Vicksburg.

Butler’s playing career appears to be over, but the tradition is going on as strong as ever.

More than 300 children have registered for the ninth annual Malcolm Butler Football Camp, scheduled for Saturday, July 22 at Vicksburg High School’s Memorial Stadium. About half of them signed up the first day, showing the camp has become a circled date on Vicksburg’s sports calendar.

“The kids here in Vicksburg don’t have the kinds of outlets that they do in bigger cities, so a lot of them look forward to this,” said Carolyn Bingham, a member of the camp’s organizing committee. “It gives them a chance to be around somebody who’s actually played NFL football and to be around other kids and see if they’re really going to play this game or what?”

The Malcolm Butler Football Camp is actually split into two. One half focuses on simpler drills for younger players, and the other features a bit more advanced instruction for high school-age players led by coaches from Vicksburg High, colleges and college players.

Butler, who played seven NFL seasons with the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans — and won two Super Bowls with the Patriots — normally floats around the field working with all the groups.

Bingham said the camp has found a formula that works, and not much has changed in the way this year’s edition will operate.

“We don’t want to reinvent the wheel,” she said with a chuckle.

The camp will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 22. All players must have registered online already — the registration period closed in early June — to be guaranteed a spot. A very small number of walk-up spots will be available, based on any no-shows among those who did register.

All players should have a white T-shirt and shorts, and must wear tennis shoes. Water and snacks will be provided.

Bingham thanked the camp’s sponsors who provide food, water and other support that make it all run smoothly. The United Way of West Central Mississippi will fill bookbags that will be given to each camper. Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s and Divine Donuts will provide snacks.

“The volunteers we have are really, really good. Most of them have been with us the whole nine years,” Bingham said. “Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s Divine Donuts, they’ve all been wonderful about making sure the kids have food to eat. It’s always been enough to feed every child we have.”

Bingham added that Butler and all of the volunteers are focused on giving Vicksburg’s children a positive experience through the camp.

“I spent my adult life working with children, because I taught at Vicksburg High School for about 20 years. Everybody else in some capacity worked with streetball, or the police department, or did things with kids at their church. So all of us are children-focused,” she said. “Anything I can do to help keep a kid out of a situation they don’t need to be in, I’ll do. That’s pretty much the attitude of everybody who works with this camp.”

MALCOLM BUTLER CAMP
• Saturday, July 22, 7:30 a.m.
• At Vicksburg High School
• The 9th Annual Malcolm Butler Football Camp is a free youth football camp hosted by the former NFL star and Vicksburg native. The camp is free, but children must have already registered.