Cheney Camp A Kick For Fans Workouts Help Football Faithful Fill Their Day In The Sun

Four-year-old Tim McBroom usually wakes up at about 10 a.m., but not when the Seattle Seahawks are training in Cheney.

“He was up at 6:30,” said Stephanie Casey, Tim’s mother. “He’s been talking about this for a month.”

Same goes for Shelley Baker and her three children. “They couldn’t wait to get out here,” said Baker, an Iowan visiting relatives in Coeur d’Alene. “They wanted to set the alarm for 5:45, they were so anxious. We got up at 6:30.”

The Seahawks’ second consecutive training camp at Eastern Washington University began Monday much like the first one a year ago.

Kids lined up for the NFL Experience exhibit, which houses kicking, running and throwing games on the EWU tennis courts. Customers browsed through the Seahawks memorabilia store before it officially opened for business.

Kids and grandparents sought out their favorite players for autographs. Some simply kicked back on the bleachers and watched players sweat under the mid-morning sun.

If opening day proved anything, it’s that the novelty of having the Seahawks around hasn’t worn off.

“It’s even better than last year,” said Rosalia’s Mitch Nelson. “We were sweating bullets. We are so excited that they’re here for the next three years.”

So excited that Nelson donned his Seahawks 12th man jersey, which covered up his Steve Largent T-shirt. Not exactly air-conditioned attire as temperatures climbed into the 80s.

“My boys and I came out every day last year,” Nelson said. “It’s about a 25-minute drive. I used to live in Chattaroy when the Seahawks trained here before (from 1976-85) and that was an hour and a half.”

Spokane’s Katie Twiggs, 9, conquered the Experience’s Goal-Line Stand, a large inflatable that requires a sizable leap to clear a wall of defenders.

“I just wanted to have some fun and see what it was like,” Twiggs said. “I’ll come back.”

About 50 children - OK some adults - had experienced the Experience in the first 45 minutes.

“We brought 15 kids from Hutton Settlement, a children’s home in Spokane. Our activity director suggested it,” said Amy Weakland, a Hutton employee. “It helps get out their summer aggression.”

Weakland’s, too. “I did the obstacle course,” the 23-year-old smiled. “I was afraid I was going to hurt the little guy I was up against.”

Howard Sundman’s focus was on the grown-ups on the practice field. The 71-year-old has been a season-ticket holder since the franchise’s first season in 1976. He watched Monday’s practice sans shirt and with a tattoo of an eagle across his chest.

“I fancy it a Seahawk,” Sundman said, laughing.

Sundman surveyed the field for Warren Moon, but the veteran quarterback was a no-show because he’s unhappy with his contract. Moon’s absence didn’t seem to bother Sundman.

“You see (backup quarterback) Jon Kitna over there? He is going to be the man,” Sundman said. “Twenty-three years I’ve been waiting. This is going to be the year.”

In 23 years, 4-year-old Tim McBroom figures he’ll fit nicely in a Seahawks uniform. On Monday, he was the smallest participant at the KAYU-FOX Kids Club clinic, but he still caught a 10-yard pass from one of the camp instructors.

“He says when he gets a little bigger, he wants to come out and play with these guys,” McBroom’s mother said.