Penn State football players find trip to the Children's Hospital in Hershey rewarding

HERSHEY — The idea of Penn State's football program visiting the children at the Children's Hospital at Penn State Hershey was talked about for a little while.

It became a reality late Wednesday afternoon when three busloads of Penn State's players plus head coach James Franklin and head trainer Tim Bream arrived at the hospital to visit with sick children.

The players signed autographs, conversed with the kids and encouraged them to play a few games.

All of the Nittany Lions were in agreement — the trip from State College to here was one they were happy to make.

"We thought it was a really great thing (that) the coaches set up and the staff set up,'' said PSU junior tight end Jesse James, who said the players found out about the trip late last week.

"We're just really excited to be here. We've been excited to come here all week and it's great to finally get down here.''

The Lions' players are finishing up summer workouts and it's almost time to get serious about the 2014 season. Training camp begins Aug. 4 and less than four weeks later, PSU will face Central Florida in Dublin, Ireland.

PSU sophomore tight Adam Breneman said his hospital visit put a different spin on the upcoming season.

"You know, with training camp coming up pretty soon, the stakes are going to be pretty high, pretty fast,'' said Breneman, a Cedar Cliff graduate.

"A lot of pressure's going to be on us pretty soon. And then you see these kids and what they are going through and you start thinking, football's a big part of our lives but it doesn't need to be that important.

"It gives you a little bit of perspective.''

This wasn't the first visit to Hershey for Lions redshirt sophomore wideout Geno Lewis.

A few summers ago, the former Wyoming Valley West standout was in the area, preparing for the Big 33 game.

"I appreciate the opportunity to come here and try to put a smile on the faces of some of these kids,'' Lewis said.

"They go through so much in a day. You think you have it hard but after looking at them, you have it pretty easy.''

Franklin, who arrived in State College in mid-January after three impressive years at Vanderbilt, said you can expect his teams to do a lot more with the community and the fan base in the future.

"We're excited about it,'' Franklin said.

"Our players are excited, watching them interact, you know, with the children that are here, overcoming some unbelievable obstacles.

"(I was) just talking to Adam Breneman and we were talking about he tore his ACL (in 2012 at Cedar Cliff), and there's a minute where you're feeling sorry for yourself, you tore your ACL.

"And then you come here and it puts it in perspective.''

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