Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange were once known as the professional football capital of the world in its glory days because of the number of players who entered the National Football League from the area.

Marcus Dupree, a former NFL player himself, lives in Beaumont and works in Nederland. He would like to capitalize on the local athletic talent by creating a sports camp, possibly at first in Beaumont, and eventually an activity center in Port Arthur. He said he wants to give back to the community. His wife, Latangelia, also would like to begin a children’s group home in the city.

“The sports camp would have a football area where kids can train every Saturday to focus on the fundamentals of agility, flexibility and getting in shape year-round,” Dupree said. “They could also do this for other sports like golf, basketball, baseball and volleyball because you need to be quick and agile in them, too.”

Dupree said he would approach his camps from a different angle - by making them year-round and conducted by personnel people in professional sports organizations — people such as Jerry Reese of the New York Giants and Lionel Vital of the Atlanta Falcons — rather than bringing in NFL players for a few days. His goal is for athletes to reach the next level from the camp experience.

“Say like I contact U.T. (University of Texas), or maybe Lamar, and tell them I have a kid who’s someone they need to take a look at. They can evaluate them and get them in on the ground floor,” he said.

Dupree added the camp can compliment the athlete’s off-season regimen.

Though it’s early in the process, Dupree is thinking about Babe Zaharias Stadium in Beaumont because it has a field, it’s centrally located and it has a track. He’s in the process of recruiting more NFL people and local businesses to help with the project, too.

Vital is a longtime friend of Dupree and will help him “in every way possible.”

“Marcus is beginning from the grassroots to succeed with a plurality of strategies. Marcus is attacking the idea in every form and fashion,” Vital said. “He has a genuine heart for the right reason. His grandmother and his mom is where he got his heart. It means a lot to him to make kids happy. He’s committed to kids doing the right thing and he’s a man of integrity and a humble man. He impressed me.”

Dupree received his inspiration after he visited an activity center in Orlando, Fla. that has a big complex complete with a turf field and an indoor track where Amateur Athletic Union tournaments are conducted.

Ultimately, Dupree wants the kids to learn character and parents will appreciate their children having something to do. He would also like to award scholarships in the future.

“If an organization is going to spend $100 million, they want to know what kind of character they have. If they’re a good citizen; if they’re good people and honest. Church is important. We won’t have camp sessions on Sunday mornings.

“I just wanted to get involved. I don’t see a lot of people doing this. I met a lot of people here and there’s a lot of talent and I can stay in sports,” he said.

For more information or to sponsor the camp, call 409-225-0674.