Thirteen-year-old Mitchell Myers was chosen by coaches at his Green Bay Packers camp to participate in a one-day event where he was able to practice with several Packer players at the Ray Nitschke practice facility in Green Bay, Wis. (Photo Submitted)

ROCHELLE — The Green Bay Packers have had some of the greatest football players of all-time grace the field and halls of the team’s facilities. Now, 13-year-old Rochelle native, Mitchell Myers can be added to that list.

Mitchell was recently chosen from thousands of Packer football camp participants to work-out with several Green Bay players last weekend at the team’s training facility, Ray Nitschke Field.

“It was really exciting,” Mitchell said. “It was like a dream come true.”

Mitchell, who has been a regular at Packers football camp the past four years, was selected by one of his camp coaches as one of about 100 kids selected to participate in the one-day event.

Myers was selected based on his leadership skills, athletic ability and ability to show the “Packer way,” despite being in a difficult group last summer.

According to Mitchell and his mother, Melissa Myers, his camp was removed from consideration for the leadership award, but Mitchell remained positive and continued to work hard.

That effort caught the attention of his coaches, and a year later Mitchell was playing on the same field as Green Bay Packers.

Three of the Packers younger players, Chris Francies, Alfred Malone and Allen Barbre, took time to work with the kids, conducting passing, throwing and tackling drills.

Francies, a wide receiver for Texas-El Paso is coming off his first year with Green Bay. While in college, Francies collected 128 catches for 2,022 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Malone played for the Houston Texans in both 2005 and 2006 at defensive tackle, and Barbre was a fourth round selection for Green Bay out of Missouri Southern State. Barbre is projected to be the starting guard of the future for the Packers after enjoying a very successful college career where he was Division II All-American.

Needless to say, the chance to meet and practice with these players was a huge thrill for a die-hard Packers fan like Mitchell.

“The players were great,” Melissa Myers said. “They were all very friendly and were there for the kids.”

But meeting Packer players is nothing new for Mitchell. His dedication to the sport and the Packers camp has allowed him to come in contact with players like Don Bebbe and Hall of Famers like Johnnie Gray, Bob Long, Dave Robinson and Bart Starr. Mitchell was even fortunate enough to hold Robinson’s two Super Bowl rings.

Mitchell, a self-proclaimed “huge Vince Lombardi fan,” has read up on the coach’s career and is a big fan of his quotes.

Some of his favorites include the famous, “If winning isn’t everything, why do they keep score?” and “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.”

So when Mitchell was able to visit Packers locker room with Brett Favre’s locker and was able to step foot onto one of the most recognized patches of grass in the world, Lambeau Field, it everything a 13-year-old boy could ask for.

But all those perks have not been without effort. Mitchell has been one of the hardest working kids at his camps the past four years, making him the football player his is today.

“I have learned a lot about agility, speed and technique,” Mitchell said of the camps. “They have been really helpful.”

The center will now enter the 13-14 age bracket this July at Packer camp, the oldest age group.

The week long camp takes everything out of the kids, going six hours a day in what Mitchell described as intense and exhausting competition. But that hasn’t stopped Mitchell from excelling at the camps. Over the years, Mitchell has been given the Hustle Award and received player of the honors several times.

“There is some good players there,” said Mitchell. “But I hold my own out there.”

According to Mitchell, he picked up the game from his father, who was an All-Conference football player himself in high school.

“I learned about football from my dad,” he said. “He liked it,and I just started liking it too.”

Mitchell plays center for the Nelson Storm, a football program in Rockford and plans to play high school football after his eighth grade year.

Despite being smaller than many of the players he goes up against, according to his mother, Mitchell is one of the most feared players on the field.

“I like to hit people,” Mitchell explained with a grin on his face.

When Packer camp is over in two years, Mitchell plans to attend Badger Camp at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he would love to one day attend and play football.

Until then, Mitchell will continue to represent Rochelle at a camp that features players from all over the world, while taking his parents advice every step of the way.

“We always tell him to watch every play and every player,” Melissa Myers said. “That way you can learn something for everyone.”

So far it would appear that Mitchell is a quick learner.