The young men of the Veryl Switzer Back to History Camp experienced firsthand an inspirational speech from K-State football coach Bill Snyder and toured the Vanier Sports Complex Monday.

Snyder encouraged the boys to surround themselves with people who want to make their lives better and to be wary of those who look cool and care only for themselves. He gave them the same advice he said he gives his football players: to try every day to become stronger in their faith, stronger with their families, better people, and better students.

The young men ranged in age from fifth- to 11th-grade and were from Kansas, Texas and Arkansas, as well as Chicago and Denver.

The tour and speech were just two events during a week designed to show inner-city boys the campus and farm life that helped make Veryl Switzer, a football and track star at K-State, such a success. Other events included an archaeology lecture and dig, activities at Peters Recreation Complex, a camp cook-out and old-fashioned games.

This is the first year for the Back to History Camp, which was organized by Switzer and JohnElla Holmes, instructor of American ethnic studies and coordinator of minority recruitment and retention in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Holmes said that it has been a dream of hers and Switzer's to establish a camp that linked K-State and historic Nicodemus, Kan., where both she and Switzer grew up. Nicodemus was founded by ex-slaves after the Civil War and is now a national historic park.

During the week, the boys will get to meet Switzer and possibly help with the wheat harvest on his farm, which Holmes said is on land originally settled by Switzer's great-grandparents.

According to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, as a football player at K-State, Switzer was a second-team All-American in 1951 and 1952 and a first-team Pro Football Coaches All-American in 1953, among other honors. Switzer played for the Green Bay Packers for two seasons after being the fourth player selected in the 1954 NFL Draft.

As a track star at K-State, Switzer was the Big Seven indoor long jump champion in 1952.