MADISON COUNTY, Iowa — Iowa State football unofficially kicked off fall camp this weekend at Wildwood Hills Ranch, but there weren't any Xs and Os involved.
Friday night was filled with team bonding and Saturday was filled with giving back.
The Cyclones partnered with at-risk youth in Central Iowa with various activities.
"I'm having parents come up to me telling me, 'like, this is amazing. One of the best days they've had in a minute,'" said Iowa State junior safety Malik Verdon. "So I can tell this means a lot to just, not just them, but to us too."
While the event is for the kids, the student-athletes are getting something out of it too.
"I think you get to see the players in their element, which is what they love. They love kids. Our guys are incredible with these guys, said Defensive Coordinator Jon Heacock. "You get to see them for who they are and in their own world and playing games and being kids, and again, that gets lost a little bit in this craziness that we deal with right now in college football."
Verdon hopes he and his teammates can be a good influence.
"At a young age, not everybody has the same guidance that a lot of us are blessed to have. So being out here and being around all these kids, you know, trying to show them the right things, trying to teach them the right ways to do stuff, some manners, stuff like that. I feel like it's very important.
Before the season gets underway, Iowa State gains a different perspective.
"I think we lose sight sometimes in this crazy business and this rat race," Heacock said. "That we lose sight a little bit of what the really critical things are."
This was the second year that Iowa State kicked off fall camp at Wildwood Hills Ranch.