EVERETT — Rome Odunze drooped his head. The Chicago Bears wide receiver and former University of Washington standout just watched an intended pass get intercepted right in front of him and returned all the way to the house.
Had this been a rep at Bears minicamp or a play during an alumni game at Husky Stadium, that video clip may have blown up on social media. Instead, it was just a blip on the radar at Odunze’s Youth Football Camp, which took place at Archbishop Murphy High School from 9 a.m to 1 p.m. on Thursday.
“I’m getting triple-teamed,” Odunze said after the pick-six, making a playful excuse while also underestimating the attention he received from the cluster of ‘defensive backs’ he towered over.
With an estimated 300 kids in attendance ranging from 6-16 years old, Odunze spent the morning playing a series of loose scrimmages on a portion of the field with groups of around 20 kids at a time. The rest of the camp consisted of different football drill stations that the campers rotated through, which were run by adult and student volunteers.
A camper at Rome Odunze’s youth football camp engages in a fumble recovery drill at Archbishop Murphy High School on July 10, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Aside from the Everett camp, Odunze will host a couple more in Illinois this weekend. The 23-year-old receiver was inspired by his own experiences at football camps, citing an Elite 11 camp he attended as a 16-year-old where a strong showing boosted his recognition in the college recruiting cycle.
Of course, his camp at Terry Ennis Field on Thursday was not an elite-level showcase, but rather just a day to be active and have fun. While Odunze does not have a direct connection to Archbishop Murphy or Everett, he felt it was a great spot to reach another sector of Huskies fans.
“I feel like it’s a good area. I’ve been up here before,” Odunze told The Herald. “A lot of love (for it), and a lot of kids out here, you know, some people can’t make it all the way down to Seattle for the games and stuff like that, so coming up to this spot really just allows me to kind of spread the influence and hopefully inspire some kids that weren’t able to get down to the games.”
While Odunze tossed the ball around and took photos with campers, Ed Galloway ran the show. A FlexWork Sports Pro Athlete Camp Director, Galloway was the first one on the field setting up drills and instructing volunteers on what to do. He facilitated the group rotations and made sure everything ran smoothly.
FlexWork Camp Director Ed Galloway addresses the campers during Rome Odunze’s youth football camp at Archbishop Murphy High School on July 10, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
A former junior college and semi-pro football player in the mid-2000s before a career-ending Achilles injury, Galloway began coaching as a way to give back to his community, inspired to impact the youth after spending time in foster care when he was young. In addition to running camps with FlexWork, Galloway works with the Los Angeles Rams’ youth engagement program and coaches high school football in San Diego.
He first started volunteering at FlexWork camps around 2013, and he developed a rapport with founder Forrest West. Eventually, West offered Galloway an opportunity to direct camps, and he’s traveled all over the country doing so for different athletes, including a recent one with reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley.
“It takes a lot of planning, a lot of discipline, a lot of teamwork,” Galloway said. “Just knowing what you’re doing out here. It’s a fast-paced environment. It may not look like it, but it’s definitely fast-paced, so you got to have great volunteer coaches. You got to have (an) amazing hydration team. … It’s built off of teamwork and just a foundation of disciplined instruction.”
FlexWork conducts background checks on every volunteer to ensure safety, and they typically look for people with coaching experience in any sport. One of the volunteers, Nick Wolfinbarger, traveled all the way from Walla Walla with his three sons — 11-year-old Bricen, nine-year-old Heston and seven-year-old Kasen — to participate in the camp on Thursday.
A high school coach in Walla Walla, Wolfinbarger and his sons had a positive experience at a FlexWork camp hosted by former Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith a couple of years ago, and they were eager to make the four-and-a-half hour drive to meet Odunze.
Stepping in at quarterback, Rome Odunze sends a group of receivers out for a play during a scrimmage at his youth football camp at Archbishop Murphy High School on July 10, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
“The interaction (at Smith’s camp), it was really neat,” Wolfinbarger said. “My oldest (son, Bricen) at that camp actually had a touchdown pass thrown to him in the little 7-on-7, so he was really excited about it. And it’s not something a whole lot of kids can really say, you know? But it’s a lot of fun to be able to interact with these guys, and the drills that they’re doing out here seem to be worthwhile.”
Whether it was catching a touchdown pass from Odunze or breaking up a pass and finger-wagging in his face, each camper got to experience more than just a meet-and-greet photo op.
After a group photo, one camper asked Odunze which team he wanted to get drafted to back before the Bears selected him ninth overall in last year’s NFL Draft.
“Who did I want to get drafted (to)? The Bears, man,” Odunze said in a confused but slightly amused tone that conveyed he was not expecting to receive a ‘trap’ question from a 10-year-old.
In another group, as Odunze went down the line giving high fives, a camper wearing football gloves asked him to stop so he could free up his hands first, which drew a laugh from Odunze. Through all the game play and interactions, Odunze’s mother, Necia Bunnell, watched from the side and occasionally took videos with her phone.
Rome Odunze interacts with campers during his youth football camp at Archbishop Murphy High School on July 10, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
“I just love the fact that he’s willing to give back,” Bunnell said. “I mean, obviously this is where he started, and so the fact that he’s taking the time to come here and inspire these kids as well, and give them hope that there’s opportunities in the future with working hard, it’s amazing. And also, he’s just a lot of fun to be around. He does really well with the kids, so it’s fun to watch.”
Bunnell also expressed excitement about the opportunity to return to Washington, where the family has so many fond memories from his time as a Husky. But the time is limited; Odunze’s next camp is on Saturday in Champaign, Ill.
After the camp, Odunze planned to stop by campus and say hello to his friends who are still with the program before going to dinner at Din Tai Fung, “for old time’s sake.”
But the main goal of this visit was to inspire kids to focus on having fun playing the sport he loves.
“Just staying active, really,” Odunze said. “Making sure that that’s not inside and on their iPads or their phones, like some young kids are these days, so that’s my biggest goal.”
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