By I.C. Murrell

ic.murrell@panews.com

Charcandrick West said that Kansas City Chiefs teammate Jamaal Charles prepared him for the moment he would have to take over as the starting running back before Charles’ season-ending Week 5 injury.

“It was crazy when that happened, but he never changed from that moment,” said West, the third-year pro from Abilene Christian. “He still helped me, helped both of us to be great from that moment.”

Two weeks after Charles, Port Arthur’s native son, went down with an ACL tear against the Chicago Bears, West turned in the game of his career to date, rushing 22 times for 110 yards in a 23-13 home win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. West, though, strained his hamstring in Week 11, and needed Spencer Ware and Knile Davis to form a ground attack by committee.

Just imagine the Chiefs’ productivity when ninth-leading active rusher in the NFL returns to action.

“I’m never worried about Jamaal coming back because I know how hard he works, so I know he’s going to come back stronger than he was before,” West said. “That’s just scary to know what’s coming.”

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For the youngsters who attended Charles’ seventh annual youth football camp at Port Arthur Memorial High on Saturday, it was more joy than scary to know their hometown NFL star was in their presence.

“We’re just about serving the kids, so that’s what it’s about,” said Charles, who was part of Memorial’s third-ever graduating class in 2005 and is still Port Arthur ISD’s all-time leading rusher. “It’s just about seeing the joys on the kids’ faces and encouraging them to do good in life and listen in school and get better in everyday life.”

Charles made it back to Memorial on Saturday for the second and final day of the camp, which featured instructors with NFL and college playing experience including West Orange-Stark graduate and Seattle free safety Earl Thomas and Memorial alumnus and free-agent cornerback Danny Gorrer. West also helped with the camp.

Mandatory minicamp for the Chiefs, who beat the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card game in January, begins Tuesday. Charles has not yet been cleared to practice with the team, but he tested his injured right knee on a steep hill near the Chiefs’ practice facility during optional organized team activities, or OTAs, which were Tuesday through Friday.

“Oh yeah,” Charles immediately uttered when asked about the hill. “My knee feels good. I continue to get it stronger. It’s weak from the surgery, from being cut and [losing] all muscle memories.”

Other than that, Charles, 29, said he’s just resting his body.

“It’s better for me at my age, so I continue to rehab and strengthen my knee,” Charles said. “The only reason I’m there is for the plays being installed, and that helps me get a mindframe for when I get on the field.”

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Charles and West passed on their football and life wisdom to the 100 or so children in grades 4 through 12 who attended Saturday’s session. Camp director and Pflugerville Connally assistant football coach Derrick Scott, who was Charles’ strength coach at Texas, said a total of 220 camped at Memorial, with younger kids attending Friday.

“Just to have a great camp for the kids and have people come out and volunteer their time and service, not for me but themselves,” Charles said was his goal for the camp. He also stressed to the youths the importance of utilizing what he calls God-given talents to be blessed with more talents.

West, who originally committed to Louisiana Tech, shared his story of making it from a Division II program in Abilene Christian to the NFL. ACU since has moved up to the Division I Southland Conference.

“It don’t matter where you start, it’s how you finish,” West said. “I feel like a lot of kids get lost in that big-school system. You get ahead of yourself and you forget where you come from.

“… Abilene Christian was the best thing that ever happened. It humbled me and let me know you have to work for everything that you want. I’m here to tell them don’t ever give up on your dream.”

Charles hopes he can help with Thomas’ camp in West Orange June 24-25 and is listed as a guest for the Babineaux Brothers’ Celebrity All-Star Classic Charity Basketball Game on July 9 at Lamar State College Port Arthur, but he does not plan to play.

“I’ve got a couple more years left, so I don’t want to step out in my lane and play basketball, which is not really my sport, and hurt myself even more,” Charles said. “My goal is to continue to play football, and when that’s over with, I can do the other things.”

Exactly how much longer Charles has in his football life, no one knows. But he’s leaving the answer to a higher power.

“I’m just going to put it in God’s hands,” he said. “No man can tell me how to control my own destiny. Only God can. When God tells me to go do a new calling, I’m going to that new calling.”

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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews